Atletico Madrid need to step up in order to secure Champions League qualification, head coach Diego Simeone said ahead of Saturday's LaLiga trip to Mallorca.

Simeone’s men are fourth in the standings with 64 points, seven behind third-placed Girona with five matches left. Atletico lead Athletic Bilbao, in fifth place, by three points.

They were knocked out of the Champions League after a 5-4 quarter-final aggregate loss to Germany's Borussia Dortmund and Simeone feels the Spanish top flight is also getting more intense with every year.

"We are thinking about the game, hopefully we can be in the top four as we have been these years, but it is more difficult every day," Simeone told reporters at his pre-match press conference.

"There is improvement in the other teams, so we have to improve."

Atletico have struggled defensively this season, having failed to keep a clean sheet since a 5-0 home win over Las Palmas in February.

"When you talk about defence, people misunderstand and think that it's only the defenders," Simeone said.

"The defence is a team and we have conceded a lot of goals because we haven't been able to work as a team."

The Argentine said his team will have their work cut out to claim all three points against 16th-placed Mallorca.

"We have a tough opponent like Mallorca... they work with a coach who I admire for his calmness and his ability to compete," added Simeone. 

"I admire those coaches. We will face a tough and difficult game.

"When the season is over and the accounts are closed, I'll be able to comment on how I feel and what I think about the objectives [since I took charge of Atletico]."

Unai Emery says Aston Villa must adapt to the varying challenges of European and domestic football ahead of Sunday's Premier League meeting with an "amazing" Brighton at Amex Stadium.

Villa boss Emery has become renowned as somewhat of a European mastermind, having won three Europa Leagues with Sevilla and another when in charge of Villarreal.

Yet the Spaniard will have been disappointed as Villa slipped to a 4-2 home defeat against Olympiacos in Thursday's Europa Conference League semi-final first leg.

Emery acknowledged his Champions League-chasing Villa must prepare differently for different challenges in Europe as they prepare to return to domestic action against Brighton.

He said: "We want to grow up in Europe, playing Europa League and Champions League. I like it.

"The players have to adapt to that situation playing more matches than normal and then try to take experiences and manage those competitions and try to be successful in both."

European football is on the cards next term at Villa Park, too, with Emery's fourth-placed side seven points clear of Tottenham, who have played a game fewer.

Villa can move one step closer to an unlikely Champions League qualification with victory at Brighton, though Emery knows a tough task awaits against Roberto De Zerbi.

"The respect for Roberto de Zerbi is high," he added. "He is an amazing coach, he was playing very good last year.

"It is amazing how they play."

Brighton, meanwhile, are winless in six straight Premier League games and have been demolished by Bournemouth and Manchester City in recent weeks.

That winless run leaves the Seagulls 12th in the table and Brighton head coach De Zerbi is desperate for a response on Sunday, even if they are out of European contention.

"I spoke about motivation not because we want to go on holiday tomorrow or next week," De Zerbi said. "When the target is not so close it is tough to accept for a team who is used to fighting for the important target.

"This season until the Brentford game, until maybe the Burnley game, we have had the chance to qualify for another year in the Europe League.

"I think after that we lost something of energy and of motivation."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Brighton – Joao Pedro

Brighton have not managed a goal from one of their own players since Danny Welbeck scored after just two minutes in the March 31 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield.

De Zerbi may look to Joao Pedro to end that struggle, with the forward's eight league goals leading the club's scoring charts – though he has not scored since March 2 against Crystal Palace.

Aston Villa – Ollie Watkins

Ollie Watkins has scored six goals in his last four Premier League appearances against Brighton, including a hat-trick in Villa’s 6-1 win earlier this season. It’s the most goals he’s netted against an opponent in the competition.

The England striker has also been involved in eight goals in his last five Premier League away games, scoring six and assisting two. His 10 Premier League away goals overall this season is the most of any English player in the competition.

MATCH PREDICTION – ASTON VILLA WIN

The Opta supercomputer struggled to split these two sides in the pre-match predictions, though Villa are the narrow favourites for this one considering recent head-to-head clashes.

Emery's men won 6-1 in this season’s reverse Premier League fixture against Brighton – they last netted more than six against an opponent in 2020-21 vs Liverpool (8), while their most goals against an opponent in a season is 10 against Wimbledon in 1994-95.

Brighton have also lost their last five Premier League matches against Villa by an aggregate score of 14-3. The Seagulls last suffered six defeats in a row against a side between 2019 and 2022 against Man Utd.

Villa, meanwhile, will be looking to register six consecutive top-flight wins against an opponent for the first time since between 2005 and 2010 against fierce rivals Birmingham City.

The visitors may be confident of doing so given De Zerbi's men have lost their last two league games by an aggregate score of 7-0.

The Seagulls last lost more in a row in the competition in March 2022 (run of six – the third of which was at home to Villa), while they last conceded 3+ goals in three successive league matches in October 2011 as a Championship side.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Brighton win – 35.4%

Aston Villa win – 35.7%

Draw – 28.9%

Rob Edwards urged his Luton Town team and the club's supporters to keep the faith as the Hatters aim to stay in the Premier League.

A 1-1 draw with Everton at home on Friday was not the result Luton truly needed as they look to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

It moved Luton onto 26 points, level with 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, who face already-relegated Sheffield United on Saturday.

Forest could yet be in to get some of the four points they were deducted for a breach of the Premier League's financial rules back, however, with a decision on their appeal expected to arrive in the coming days.

Edwards hinted at that uncertainty in his comments after the Everton game, as he asked his team to keep going.

He said: "We wanted a win. We threw everything at it. We tried. We were the team pushing right until the end.

"In the end a draw wasn't what we wanted. I'm proud of the players, the club, the supporters. They stayed with us until the end. We tried to do all the right things. We're still in the mix.

"On another day we could have won the game but we didn't. We've got to keep going. We don't have a crystal ball. It might be four points, five, six. It might be enough. We've got to believe it is, [so] we go again."

Luton head to West Ham next week, before hosting Fulham on the final day of the season.

Everton, who took the lead through Dominic Calvert-Lewin's penalty but were pegged back by Elijah Adebayo's strike, were already sure of their Premier League status heading into Friday's match.

Asked if he had a preference on which team out of Forest, Luton and his former club Burnley avoided the drop, Sean Dyche told reporters: "No one cared about us at Everton when we were down there last season, so they will have to fight it out.

"We had to fight it out last season and take care of ourselves, all the clubs will have to fight it out.

"We took care of ourselves again this season with many challenges and I am very proud of that, but it is not for choosing ifs, buts and maybes and sides.

"I have been down there myself and you have to take care of yourself. No one gives you anything, they have all got to fight it out and see who gets the job done.”

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has conceded Spurs "need change" after a poor run of form has seen their Champions League hopes fade.

Spurs sit fifth in the Premier League, but a sorry performance against Chelsea in a 2-0 loss on Thursday left them seven points behind Aston Villa.

Tottenham have lost their last three matches, conceding nine goals, though those defeats have come against Newcastle United, Arsenal and Chelsea.

And while Postecoglou has had a promising first season, he stressed the requirement for changes to Spurs' playing squad if they are to settle wholly into his preferred style of play.

"We need change. Change has to happen," Postecoglou said ahead of Sunday's clash with Liverpool.

"We're pivoting to a whole different direction, expecting the same people are going to be in on that... it's just not going to happen.

"We've had two windows and we've had some development of players, for sure, but when I say we've still got a long way to go, that's what I'm talking about.

"We can't be there yet because it's impossible to say you're going to have drastic change and yet expect everyone to be on that journey... whether it's Liverpool or Arsenal, by the time they win the competition or have success, the team's almost unrecognisable."

Richarlison, who enjoyed a rich run of form earlier in the campaign but has not scored since netting twice against his former club Everton in February, is one of the players who Spurs will reportedly listen to offers for in the upcoming transfer window.

After playing Liverpool, Spurs face Burnley and Manchester City before rounding off their campaign against already-relegated Sheffield United.

Borussia Dortmund can rotate their side for this weekend's game with Augsburg after their win over Paris Saint-Germain in midweek secured Germany a fifth place in next season's Champions League.

Those are the thoughts of coach Edin Terzic ahead of Saturday's home game.

Dortmund are fifth in the Bundesliga, and with a 12-point gap over Eintracht Frankfurt and three games remaining, they are guaranteed a place in the Champions League, and can concentrate on the semi-final second leg against PSG on Tuesday, with a 1-0 advantage.

Terzic told reporters: "Obviously we are thinking about having energy and freshness tomorrow. We will rotate as we have done in the past but we will have a very good team on the pitch tomorrow.

"We will think about freshness. We will also think about giving chances, as there is no huge pressure tomorrow with our minimum goal secured."

Forward Sebastien Haller remained on the bench for the home win against PSG on Wednesday, and will be rested against Augsburg, but others who were involved should make an appearance, even if not for the full game.

"Rotation does not mean someone will not play at all but that you can spilt up participation times," Terzic said.

"We came through Wednesday's game pretty well. Only Sebastien Haller didn't feel well in the warm-up, we won't risk him for tomorrow but he is fine for next week."

Despite there being less pressure, Dortmund should still have plenty of motivation against Augsburg, especially after their 4-1 defeat at RB Leipzig last weekend and with just one win in their last four league games.

"It is a Bundesliga game at home and we have to do a bit better, especially at home. We have one month, and we have to show good performances and tomorrow everyone on the pitch can show how valuable they are for the club," Terzic added.

"If we have to talk about motivating them to play in front of 81,000 in the Bundesliga against Augsburg then we have a problem."

Dortmund are on 57 points, six behind Leipzig, while Augsburg are ninth in the standings on 39 points.

Nashville SC coach Gary Smith knows his struggling side must make the most of their home games as they look to snap a five-match winless run against CF Montreal on Saturday.

Nashville sit a lowly 14th in the Eastern Conference standings with just eight points from nine matches, their only league victory of 2024 coming against Charlotte FC in mid-March.

They were pegged back in a 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes last time out as the pressure on Smith intensified further, and he knows they are running out of time to turn things around.

"We're all very appreciative and understanding of the fact the home games represent the very best opportunity to earn points," Smith said. 

"But I wouldn't say that I feel any more pressure than I have done for any other home game or any other fixture."

Montreal, meanwhile, have seen their preparations overshadowed by reports that star midfielder Mathieu Choiniere has requested a transfer after entering the last year of his contract.

While boss Laurent Courtois is none the wiser as to Choiniere's intentions, he is keen to see the homegrown talent stay put. 

"Everyone loves Mathieu, everyone wants him to be valued, everyone wants him to stay here," Courtois said. 

"Everyone wants him here to lift the club as high as possible, for as long as possible.

"There will be discussions between players and the club to improve their contractual situations everywhere, and it doesn't always need to be in the public eye.

"I don't know the accuracy of the rumour that came out. The club hasn't told me anything."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Nashville SC – Hany Mukhtar

Mukhtar scored with one of his six shots against San Jose last time out. 

He has taken a total of 388 shots since joining MLS in 2020, 100 more than any other player in the league in that time.

CF Montreal – Bryce Duke

Montreal managed just eight shots in their scoreless draw with the Columbus Crew last time out. Only Austin FC (7.8) have averaged fewer shots per match than Montreal (9.6) in MLS this season.

Duke has created nine chances for team-mates this campaign, a tally only matched by Choiniere among Montreal players. If they are to improve their attacking output, he will have a key role to play.

MATCH PREDICTION – NASHVILLE SC 

Nashville have only managed three wins in 21 MLS matches since the end of the Leagues Cup last August (10 draws, eight losses, including playoffs). 

They are also winless in their last five, drawing two and losing three, but the visit of a Montreal team who do not travel well could be a boost for Smith's men.

Montreal have gone four away games without a victory, failing to score in any of their last three and conceding 10 goals throughout that run. This game may just come at a good time for the hosts. 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

Nashville SC – 49.4%

CF Montreal – 23%

Draw – 27.6%

Bradley Carnell is eager to get going again when St. Louis City return to MLS action against the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, two weeks on from their last game.

St. Louis were last in action on April 21, when Tomas Totland's last-gasp equaliser saw them claim a 3-3 draw against rivals Sporting Kansas City.

Carnell's team have only lost one of their last eight MLS games, though five of those have finished level to leave them ninth in the Western Conference standings, one point behind the Dynamo.

Speaking about the challenges of their long wait for a game, Carnell said: "The week off was nice, it gave us some time to plan and prep for the next few weeks and where we're going.

"There's going to be a ton of games so it's really important for us to do that. We can't change the calendar and it is what it is.

"We're excited about the games coming up, there's a lot of good teams among our opponents in the next couple of weeks."

Houston, meanwhile, have lost three of their last four league games including each of their last two, both of which came against Texas rivals in Austin FC (0-1) and FC Dallas (0-2).

Despite their downturn, boss Ben Olsen is choosing to remain upbeat and is certain things will turn, saying: "I can take a loss and I will say the guys gave everything, they continue to fight. 

"We'll get back to work and try to make the fans proud next week.

"We prepare for St. Louis the same way we prepared for Dallas. We'll just get back to work and keep going. 

"It's very early in the season. The last two games didn't go the way we want so we have to learn from it."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Houston Dynamo – Ibrahim Aliyu

Aliyu is the only Houston player with more than one goal to his name in MLS this year, netting three times. However, he has failed to score in their last three games, so he will be desperate to end that mini-drought here.

St. Louis City – Joao Klauss

Klauss is St. Louis' joint-leading scorer this season, his three goals only matched by Celio Pompeu after both players were on target against Sporting KC last time out.

The Brazilian has attempted a team-high 29 shots this term as well as creating 12 chances for team-mates, a tally only bettered by Pompeu (17).

MATCH PREDICTION – HOUSTON DYNAMO WIN

The Dynamo's first victory over St. Louis came in the second leg of this year's CONCACAF Champions Cup first round, a 1-0 home win that saw Houston into the round of 16. 

St. Louis had previously gone unbeaten in the first three meetings between the teams (two wins, one draw), including winning both matches in Missouri.

After winning their first three away matches in club history last year, St. Louis have only managed three wins in 22 road trips (six draws, 13 defeats). Houston, meanwhile, have won two of their last three at Shell Energy Stadium so enter Saturday's game as favourites.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

Houston Dynamo – 42%

St. Louis City – 29.7%

Draw – 28.3%

Kellyn Acosta says the Chicago Fire need to be more precise with their ball progression if they are to end their barren run and begin to climb the MLS standings.

Frank Klopas' team sit 12th in the Eastern Conference and have failed to win – or even find the net – in three matches ahead of Saturday's clash with the New England Revolution. 

Chicago scored nine goals in their first five MLS matches in 2024 but have since netted two in their last five, and midfielder Acosta says composure is the key to improving their attacking output.

"It's a combination of moving the ball back to front and finding our forwards," Acosta said. 

"I feel like we've got to get them the ball in dangerous areas where they are bringing out their qualities, and I think we have not done a good job of progressing the ball to them."

The Revs, meanwhile, sit bottom of the East with just four points through their first nine matches under Caleb Porter, being thrashed 4-1 by a Lionel Messi-inspired Inter Miami side last time out.

Nacho Gil has joined several other New England players on a lengthy injury list, and Porter says the team must be cautious as they navigate a route through a testing spell. 

"If we're good with our planning… you can't avoid some injuries, but with soft tissue injuries, you can avoid a mistake," Porter said. 

"The medical staff, the sports science staff, they'll have a plan to reintegrate these guys where they can hit the ground running."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Chicago Fire – Brian Gutierrez

The Fire failed to record a shot on target in last week's goalless draw at home to Atlanta United, the third time they have done so since the start of the 2022 campaign. No other team has done so more than once in that time.

Gutierrez was limited to the role of substitute for that game, but as Chicago's leading scorer with three league goals this year, he will surely come in to start this one.

New England Revolution – Carles Gil

Carles Gil leads all Revs players for goals (three) and chances created (27) so far this season. None of his team-mates have laid on more than 11 chances this term (Tomas Chancalay). 

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

New England are winless in 17 MLS away matches (five draws, 12 defeats, including playoffs), in a run dating back to May 2023. Their longest ever winless run on the road in MLS is 18 matches between September 2016 to September 2017.

However, they may fancy their chances of taking something from Saturday's match, with Chicago only having two wins through their first 10 games of the season.

This is the sixth straight season in which they have failed to win at least three of their first 10 games of an MLS campaign. No other team in MLS history has done so in more than three straight years.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Chicago Fire – 37.7%

New England Revolution – 33.4%

Draw – 28.9%

Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini labelled Brian White as a "special" player ahead of Sunday's enticing MLS meeting with Austin FC at BC Place.

The Whitecaps are third in the Western Conference after a 1-1 draw with New York Red Bulls last time out, completing a fine April that saw them lose just one of four matches.

Whitecaps forward White scored in that draw and may get somewhat of a hero's welcome at a packed-out BC Place after becoming Vancouver's all-time leading scorer.

"I'm really happy he could make history here at home in front of his family, in front of his friends," Sartini said of White, who moved past Camilo Sanvezzo as the club's all-time leading scorer.

"It adds a special, special flair to that, so I'm really happy for him.

"He's a player so committed that it doesn't matter if he misses a goal, or he scores the first goal, or if he misses the first touch because he's going to adjust."

Sartini even suggested his coaching has improved White, albeit in a playful manner.

"I think he scored 99%  of the goals with me as a coach, so I can even tell that maybe that it's [to] my credit," he joked. "Because I put him in the right position."

Austin are just two points but four places behind Vancouver in the West after winning four of their last five outings, having swept aside LA Galaxy 2-0 in their last match.

Verde and Black head coach Josh Wolff is not getting overly excited with that form, though.

"It's 10 games into the season so we don't get carried away," Wolff said. "When you guys [the media] are slaughtering us earlier this year, I don't get too bummed out.

"You guys do what you do. You got to pump out headlines and you got to get readers, I understand it. Whether I agree with that or not, that's what you guys choose to do."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White

With a goal against the Red Bulls on Saturday, White has contributed to at least one goal in six straight matches, the longest streak by a Whitecaps player in the club’s MLS history.

The 28-year-old has found the net – or assisted – in every game since failing to do so against San Jose Earthquakes on March 10, with the Whitecaps reaping the rewards from their star forward.

Austin FC – Brad Stuver

Austin have kept clean sheets in two straight matches for only the second time in club history, also doing so in June-July 2023.

Austin kept just one clean sheet in the 25 matches in all competitions between the two streaks and their upturn in form should be somewhat credited to goalkeeper Brad Stuver, who continues to impress.

MATCH PREDICTION – VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WIN

The Whitecaps are the heavy favourites for this one, having won four of their six meetings with Austin FC (D1 L1), including recording victories in all three meetings between the sides at BC Place.

Vancouver have also equalled their best nine-match start in club history with 17 points, yet the Whitecaps have never reached the 20-point mark within their first 10 games of an MLS season.

It will be far from a routine victory, though, as Austin have won four of their last five matches (L1) following a 2-0 win over the Galaxy, including the last two in a row.

Austin have had only one winning streak longer than two games in all competitions in club history, a four-match run in June-July 2022 – but that could come to an end here.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Vancouver Whitecaps win – 46.7%

Austin FC win – 27.2%

Draw – 26.1%

Real Salt Lake head coach Pablo Mastroeni credited the collective effort of his league-leading side as they prepare to host Sporting Kansas City at America First Field for Sunday's MLS clash.

Salt Lake sit atop of the Western Conference table after a six-game undefeated streak, having overcome Philadelphia Union 2-1 in their last outing.

Alexandros Katranis provided a remarkable 89th-minute winner in that victory over the Union, with RSL not losing an MLS game since March 9 against Colorado Rapids.

"I think it is everything so far, every aspect of the team has been competitive – sometimes the offense clicks, sometimes it is the defense," Mastroeni said.

"For me, it is really the collective; from the staff, to the players, to me and the work we do every day. Scoring the first goal has been really important for us in most of the games.

"Defensively we have been a really good team, it starts at the top, though. We're getting a lot of great contributions from all around the pitch.

"When you tie that all together, we've got a great group firing on all cylinders."

Peter Vermes' Wizards were defeated 2-1 by Minnesota United in their last match, leaving them 10th in the West with just 11 points to their name after 10 games.

Kansas City head coach Vermes knows another difficult task awaits on the road this weekend.

"They are the best team in the West at the moment," Vermes said of RSL.

"They are always a tough defensive team. With the strike power they have up front, we will have to be focused and concentrated, it will be a tough match for us."

Vermes' high praise of Salt Lake comes as no surprise given Mastroeni's men have only conceded nine times this season – a joint-low in MLS.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango

Cristian Arango has 16 goal contributions through 10 matches this season, equalling the most in a player’s first 10 appearances of a season in MLS history (Carlos Vela in 2019, Cobi Jones in 1998).

With eight goals in just 10 appearances so far this term, the Real Salt Lake star has already surpassed his six strikes in 2023 – and will hope to further his tally here.

Sporting Kansas City – Johnny Russell

Johnny Russell has scored six goals in 13 career MLS matches against Real Salt Lake (also considering playoffs), including scoring at least once against RSL in each of the last five seasons.

The Scottish winger is yet to score in league competition this year, though, failing to find the net in any of his seven appearances – though Russell has only played 90 minutes twice in that run.

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

It will be hard to split these two sides with a draw appearing probable, despite the Opta supercomputer suggesting Real Salt Lake have the likelier chance of victory.

Sporting have never recorded back-to-back victories when visiting Salt Lake in all competitions, though they did win the last meeting between these two sides 3-2 in October.

SKC may have also lost their last outing but they have not suffered consecutive defeats across all competitions since April 2023, avoiding defeat in the match following each of its previous 14 losses (W10 D4).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Real Salt Lake win – 45.5%

Sporting Kansas City win – 26.8%

Draw – 27.7%

Andrej Kramaric scored a last-minute equaliser to deny RB Leipzig victory in Friday's 1-1 Bundesliga draw at Hoffenheim, in a game which saw Xavi Simons sent off.

Simons was shown his second yellow card with 18 minutes to play, with fourth-placed Leipzig 1-0 up courtesy of Benjamin Sesko's first-half header.

Marco Rose's team looked set to leapfrog Stuttgart into third ahead of Saturday's fixtures, but Kramaric – who had earlier been denied by a huge double save from Peter Gulasci – salvaged a point for the hosts with stoppage time mere seconds away.

While Leipzig missed the chance to move eight points clear of fifth-placed Borussia Dortmund, both teams will be playing Champions League football next season after Germany clinched a top-two place in UEFA's coefficient rankings this week.

Data Debrief: Flying full-back creates again 

David Raum assisted Sesko's opener with a pinpoint cross, the eighth goal he has teed up in the Bundesliga this season. Seven of those have been headers, a joint-high tally among all players, alongside Borussia Monchengladbach's Franck Honorat.

Luton Town missed an inviting chance to escape the Premier League's bottom three after Friday's hard-fought 1-1 draw with Everton at Kenilworth Road.

Rob Edwards' side would have leapfrogged 17th-placed Nottingham Forest – who visit Sheffield United on Saturday – with a victory, but were instead left level on points with Nuno Espirito Santo's team.

The fit-again Elijah Adebayo cancelled out Dominic Calvert-Lewin's 24th-minute penalty in an entertaining first half, though neither side could find a winner in an end-to-end second period.

Despite an encouraging performance, Luton – who almost snatched a late victory – stay 18th and below Forest on goal difference, while Everton remain 15th in the table.

A tense opening offered few opportunities as Dwight McNeil's left-wing cross deflected off Teden Mengi and forced Thomas Kaminski into a smart reflex stop, but Everton hit the front soon after.

VAR David Coote recommended a pitch-side review before referee Tim Robinson awarded a penalty for a needless Mengi pull on Jarrad Branthwaite's shirt from McNeil's corner, with Calvert-Lewin squeezing his spot-kick under Kaminski.

Yet Luton responded after 31 minutes when Adebayo ushered Ashley Young out of the way from Albert Sambi Lokonga's hanging delivery before swivelling to finish into the bottom-left corner.

Clear-cut chances remained sparse before Carlton Morris' looping header from Alfie Doughty's pinpoint back-post delivery was headed off the line by Ben Godfrey on the stroke of half-time.

Gabriel Osho curled a bending effort narrowly wide of Jordan Pickford's left-hand post shortly after the interval, while former Toffee Ross Barkley headed over from Tahith Chong's left-wing centre.

Jack Harrison's deflected effort almost caught Luton off-guard, though, as Kaminski produced an eye-catching stop before denying a thumping Calvert-Lewin header.

Luton laid siege to Everton's area in stoppage time, but the Toffees clung on, Pickford turning Luke Berry's header wide before a heroic Branthwaite block denied Andros Townsend a last-gasp winner against his former club. 

Luton entertain without victory

Prior to Friday's match, Luton had won just one of their last 14 Premier League games (three draws, 10 defeats), with no side picking up fewer points than the Hatters since the start of this run (six).

Edwards' winless misery was further compounded when Mengi's mindless foul on Branthwaite afforded Everton their opener, yet Luton responded to keep their hopes of Premier League safety alive and cement their status among the competition's entertainers.

Luton have both scored and conceded in 29 of their 36 Premier League games this season, a joint-record by any side in a single campaign in the competition, along with Swindon Town in 1993-94 and Southampton in 1994-95.

Everton not resting on laurels

Everton could have been forgiven for letting this game pass them by, having already secured their top-flight status with three straight victories over Forest, Liverpool and Brentford.

Yet the Toffees started well and were good value for their lead as Calvert-Lewin scored his fourth goal in his last five Premier League appearances, as many as he managed in his previous 38.

Some disappointing defending for Adebayo's leveller may frustrate Sean Dyche, but his side still made it four games unbeaten since their 6-0 hammering at Chelsea in the middle of April.

Bayer Leverkusen continue to edge towards a remarkable unbeaten season and Xabi Alonso acknowledged every club wants to put that run to an end.

The newly-crowned Bundesliga champions moved a step closer to a treble after beating Roma 2-0 away in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday.

Alonso's side have also reached the DFB-Pokal final against Kaiserslautern as their extraordinary 47-game unbeaten run continues across all competitions.

Leverkusen, who ended Bayern Munich's 11-year stranglehold on the Bundesliga title to secure their first trophy since 1993, travel to sixth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.

"We want to stay unbeaten and we know every week it gets tougher. Everyone wants to beat us," Alonso told reporters.

"It hasn't been easy in Frankfurt in recent years, they've always a tough opponent with a flexible system of play. We don't have much time to prepare."

The 42-year-old Spaniard will be watching the Frankfurt game from the stands after receiving his fourth yellow card of the season during his side's 2-2 home draw with Stuttgart last week.

"You can see the game better from the stands and I can communicate with the bench," he said.

"I will miss the direct contact with the team during the game but the players are intelligent enough to decide situations individually on the pitch."

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Michael Ricketts saluted Reggae Girl and Manchester City striker Khadija “Bunny” Shaw on her latest accomplishment of being voted the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Women’s Player of the Year for the 2023-24 season.

Shaw won the women’s Footballer of the Year award with 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.

In a release on Friday, Ricketts pointed out that the award spoke volumes of Shaw's impact on Manchester City's Women's Super League charge, as she has been a model of consistency since joining the Gareth Taylor-coached club in 2021. Her performances have placed Manchester City on the brink of securing their first WSL title since 2016.

“This award is a beautiful feather in her cap and a massive advertisement for Jamaica’s football,” Ricketts said.

“I am happy to see the consistency in quality shown by Khadija. She has always been a top player, but her standard has risen a notch this season. This augurs well for the national team in the future. We wish her all the best on the road to recovery,” he added.

Prior to Shaw sustaining a broken foot during her last Women’s Super League match against West Ham, the Reggae Girls captain scored 21 goals, which were complemented by three assists in 18 games this season.

Shaw is the third Jamaican-born individual to have won the award after John Barnes (1987-88, 1989-90) and Raheem Sterling in 2019.

However, she is the first national representative to receive the honour, as both Barnes and Sterling were England internationals when they earned the recognition.

David Moyes insisted there remains a "football hunger" to carry West Ham forward as speculation persists over the Hammers moving for Julen Lopetegui.

Widespread reports suggest West Ham have been in contact with Lopetegui, who left Wolves ahead of the 2023-24 campaign after just eight months in charge.

Yet Moyes reiterated his commitment to West Ham as the Scotsman aims for another top-10 Premier League finish, with the Hammers ninth in the table heading into the weekend's action.

"Absolutely, it's football hunger," Moyes responded when questioned on his drive to take West Ham to the next level.

"I'm nearly a bit embarrassed to be asked that question because I'm a football nut. I love my football, I go to games, I love it, really do. I have got great hunger."

"I said to everybody that we will make a decision at the end of the season."

West Ham and Moyes will hope to end a three-game winless run in the league when they head to London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.