Jamie Vardy struck a late equaliser to clinch Leicester a vital point in a 1-1 draw at relegation rivals Leeds.

Luis Sinisterra headed Leeds into an interval lead but Leicester were rewarded for their second-half pressure when substitute Vardy fired them level with 10 minutes left.

Patrick Bamford spurned a golden chance to snatch victory for Leeds in the final minute as he missed from a yard out at the back post and that could prove costly for the Yorkshire club come the end of the season.

Vardy rescues Leicester ?#LEELEI pic.twitter.com/jiY89l4tJO

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 25, 2023

Leeds remain 16th in the table, one point and a place above 17th-placed Leicester, who stay one point above the bottom three – who all have six games to play to Leeds and Leicester’s five.

Leicester were celebrating in the seventh minute when Youri Tielemans crashed a 25-yard shot into the top corner, but his effort was ruled out after VAR adjudged Boubakary Soumare to have been offside.

Leeds fans celebrated that decision as if their side had scored a goal before hush descended again when James Maddison was inches away from connecting with Kelechi Iheanacho’s cross.

Leeds had made an encouraging start themselves without creating a clear-cut chance until the 20th minute, when they took the lead with their first effort on target.

Jack Harrison tricked his way into space on the right and his brilliant cross to the far post picked out Sinisterra, who scored his fifth league goal of the season with an emphatic downward header.

Sinisterra was replaced by Crysencio Summerville after limping off in the 32nd minute and a tetchy first half – Leeds pair Luke Ayling and Rodrigo were both booked – concluded without further goalmouth incident.

With so much at stake for two struggling sides, it was not a night for pretty football but both were showing plenty of fight.

Patrick Bamford’s shot was blocked by Caglar Soyuncu early in the second period and Rodrigo almost wriggled clear in the box, but Leicester then had their best spell.

The Foxes pushed Leeds on to the back foot. Marc Roca and then Liam Cooper were both booked for the home side – the latter for a desperate challenge on Iheanacho on the edge of the box.

Leicester pair Soumare and Tielemans were also shown yellow cards but the visitors began to build momentum, with Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier twice denying Iheanacho to preserve his side’s slender lead.

The visitors’ pressure told in the 80th minute. Cooper held up Iheanacho on the edge of the box but the ball broke to Maddison and he slipped in Vardy, who converted into the bottom corner.

Vardy had another effort soon after ruled out by VAR for offside as the Foxes went in for the kill, but it was Leeds who almost snatched the win.

Marc Roca’s flick-on from a last-minute corner forced Leicester goalkeeper Daniel Iversen into a brilliant save before Victor Kristiansen booted the ball off the goal-line.

Bamford then somehow blazed wide from the subsequent corner after the ball had fallen for him at the back post and the points were shared.

Aston Villa continued their push for Europe as they moved up to fifth place in the Premier League with a 1-0 home victory over Fulham.

Tyrone Mings’ 21st-minute header proved enough for Unai Emery’s side in a game that saw them rarely troubled by their opponents.

Having extended their unbeaten run to 10 matches, eight of which have been wins, Villa leapfrog Tottenham into fifth, a point better off than them, ahead of Spurs hosting fourth-placed Manchester United on Thursday.

TEN UNBEATEN IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE. pic.twitter.com/LNhP5rswlk

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 25, 2023

Emery has overseen some turnaround for the midlands outfit, who were 17th, outside the relegation zone on goals scored, when they lost 3-0 at Fulham in October, their final game under the Spaniard’s predecessor Steven Gerrard.

Marco Silva’s Fulham, meanwhile, remain ninth in the table.

After the Cottagers went close to taking the lead in the opening minute, Andreas Pereira sending an acrobatic effort wide, early pressure from Villa included Ashley Young’s shot deflecting behind.

Ollie Watkins went down in the box via a challenge from Tosin Adarabioyo, prompting home shouts for a penalty, but nothing was given.

Then the visitors – having already made a late change to their starting XI by replacing Willian with Manor Solomon – were forced into a 17th-minute substitution, Harry Wilson unable to continue as Bobby Decordova-Reid came on.

Moments later Villa were in front as Mings connected with John McGinn’s corner and flicked the ball past Bernd Leno into the far corner, the defender’s first goal for the club since November 2021.

Leno subsequently dealt with a Watkins shot and McGinn header as Villa continued to look well in control of proceedings for the remainder of the half, with Fulham struggling to get much going.

After that remained the case for the Cottagers in the early stages of the second half – while Villa also showed little attacking threat – Silva opted to make a triple change midway through, introducing Carlos Vinicius, Tom Cairney and Cedric Soares.

Watkins then sent a shot off-target as Adarabioyo worked to thwart him, before Douglas Luiz looped an effort over the visitors’ bar.

With  only a goal in it, Villa fans might have been feeling nervy, and the ball was in the hosts’ net in the 83rd minute when Harrison Reed’s delivery went in off Mings – but the flag went up for offside.

There was little further from Silva’s side after that, while the hosts might have scored again in stoppage time as McGinn flashed a shot wide.

Aston Villa continued their push for Europe as they moved up to fifth place in the Premier League with a 1-0 home victory over Fulham.

Tyrone Mings’ 21st-minute header proved enough for Unai Emery’s side in a game that saw them rarely troubled by their opponents.

Having extended their unbeaten run to 10 matches, eight of which have been wins, Villa leapfrog Tottenham into fifth, a point better off than them, ahead of Spurs hosting fourth-placed Manchester United on Thursday.

Emery has overseen some turnaround for the midlands outfit, who were 17th, outside the relegation zone on goals scored, when they lost 3-0 at Fulham in October, their final game under the Spaniard’s predecessor Steven Gerrard.

Marco Silva’s Fulham, meanwhile, remain ninth in the table.

After the Cottagers went close to taking the lead in the opening minute, Andreas Pereira sending an acrobatic effort wide, early pressure from Villa included Ashley Young’s shot deflecting behind.

Ollie Watkins went down in the box via a challenge from Tosin Adarabioyo, prompting home shouts for a penalty, but nothing was given.

Then the visitors – having already made a late change to their starting XI by replacing Willian with Manor Solomon – were forced into a 17th-minute substitution, Harry Wilson unable to continue as Bobby Decordova-Reid came on.

Moments later Villa were in front as Mings connected with John McGinn’s corner and flicked the ball past Bernd Leno into the far corner, the defender’s first goal for the club since November 2021.

Leno subsequently dealt with a Watkins shot and McGinn header as Villa continued to look well in control of proceedings for the remainder of the half, with Fulham struggling to get much going.

After that remained the case for the Cottagers in the early stages of the second half – while Villa also showed little attacking threat – Silva opted to make a triple change midway through, introducing Carlos Vinicius, Tom Cairney and Cedric Soares.

Watkins then sent a shot off-target as Adarabioyo worked to thwart him, before Douglas Luiz looped an effort over the visitors’ bar.

With  only a goal in it, Villa fans might have been feeling nervy, and the ball was in the hosts’ net in the 83rd minute when Harrison Reed’s delivery went in off Mings – but the flag went up for offside.

There was little further from Silva’s side after that, while the hosts might have scored again in stoppage time as McGinn flashed a shot wide.

Joachim Andersen’s comical own goal helped put Wolves on the brink of Premier League survival.

The Crystal Palace defender’s unfortunate effort and Ruben Neves’ late penalty gave the hosts a 2-0 win and moved them nine points above the relegation zone.

They sit 13th, level on points with Palace, after a third straight home win without conceding.

It is a run which has given Julen Lopetegui’s side a platform to safety and, barring a late collapse, should see them earn a sixth straight season in the top flight.

Palace, with their own status almost assured, were no great shakes but Jose Sa still had to deny Albert Sambi Lokonga and Eberechi Eze.

The Eagles paid for presenting Wolves with goals to slip to their first defeat since Roy Hodgson’s return last month.

It took just three minutes for the hosts to grab the opener as Andersen produced one for the blooper reel.

Hugo Bueno crossed for Diego Costa to force a smart save from Sam Johnstone – but Wolves did not have to worry.

Ruben Neves swung in the resulting corner, it was allowed to bounce and Andersen failed to get his feet right as it cannoned off his knee and over the line via the bar.

An early lead left a buoyant Molineux sensing safety with Wolves having won three of their previous four home games after what seemed like a potentially damaging defeat to Bournemouth at Molineux in February.

When Palace did threaten, however briefly, Lokonga slipped in the box after being picked out by Michael Olise.

After three wins and a draw since Hodgson returned to Selhurst Park last month, Palace’s own relegation fears were almost over and it was Wolves who were on top.

Yet that intensity began to fade as Palace found a foothold and Eze shot at Sa.

Olise and Eze were finding space and Wolves were indebted to Sa as he preserved their lead three minutes before the break.

Will Hughes controlled Chris Richards’ drive to set up Lokonga from 10 yards and Sa produced a brilliant reaction stop.

Eager to make up for their slow start Palace were encouraged but failed to make any significant inroads and it took until 17 minutes from the end for them to test the goalkeeper again.

This time it was Eze’s turn to be frustrated as his fine 25-yard drive was turned over by Sa.

Wolves had struggled to rediscover their early momentum, with only Craig Dawson’s header’s threatening, but it mattered little as Palace gave them another gift in injury time.

Johnstone collected the ball from a throw in but an awful touch left the goalkeeper dangerously lunging in on Pedro Neto in the box. He was lucky to avoid a red card but was beaten low by Neves from the spot to settle the game.

Ronnie O’Sullivan repelled a fightback from Luca Brecel to move three frames away from a place in the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.

Despite looking far from his best over the majority of the opening two sessions of their last eight clash, O’Sullivan preserved his early four-frame lead and will take a 10-6 advantage into Wednesday afternoon’s concluding session.

Twice Brecel pounced on uncharacteristic errors by the seven-time champion to haul himself back within two frames of levelling the match, only for lapses of concentration to prove his own worst enemy as O’Sullivan pulled away again.

The tournament favourite had struggled to rediscover the form that had swept him through his second round match against Hossein Vafaei with a session to spare, complaining that “it’s a hard game today” as he laboured through a scrappy fourth frame of their opening session.

O’Sullivan also thumped his leg in anger after missing a black in the seventh frame, but still managed to overhaul a 2-1 deficit and reel off five in row to take a convincing 6-2 lead ahead of their evening resumption.

The 28-year-old Brecel made a scorching start to the evening session as he responded to an early O’Sullivan miss with a break of 128 to reduce the deficit.

When O’Sullivan missed a rare black off its spot in the next, Brecel sensed a real chance to pull back in contention and a cool clearance of 33 took him firmly back into the contest.

But it was a position from which Brecel would singularly fail to capitalise, running out of position when he got the first chance in the next, then labouring through a disjointed 12th frame as O’Sullivan restored his four-frame lead at 8-4.

Once again the momentum swung back in Brecel’s direction, as consecutive breaks of 58 and a dazzling 81 took the Belgian back within two frames, but his raw talent could not disguise an inconsistency in his game that was to cost him dear.

A missed red to the middle blew Brecel’s hopes of capping another comeback, and O’Sullivan will count himself fortunate to have emerged unscathed from the evening’s action after he fought through the final two frames of the session to emerge unscathed.

Mark Selby racked up his 99th Crucible century as he hit back from a 4-1 deficit to earn a share of the opening session of his semi-final against fellow former winner John Higgins.

A series of uncharacteristic errors from Selby helped Higgins move into a commanding position but the Leicester man benefited from a fluked red midway through a break of 70 that helped him claim his second frame of the day.

Selby followed up with an 82 then rounded off an intriguing session with a clearance to black of 103 to ensure the pair will resume on Wednesday at 4-4.

Anthony McGill also fought back from 4-1 down to ensure he will also resume on Wednesday at 4-4 against Crucible debutant and fellow qualifier Si Jiahui.

West Ham hit back from a goal down to claim their first FA Youth Cup crown in 24 years after a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Arsenal in the final.

Omari Benjamin gave the Gunners’ under-18s a seventh-minute lead at the Emirates Stadium, but George Earthy levelled just after the quarter-mark with a fizzing strike from the edge of the box.

Two minutes later and the Hammers were ahead through Callum Marshall, who coolly netted from Gideon Kodua’s ball into the area before the provider turned goal-scorer moments before half-time.

OH. MY. ?@WestHam's Gideon Kodua has just done this in the #FAYouthCup Final ?#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/5iwCr3YaFq

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 25, 2023

Josh Robinson mis-controlled a pass on halfway which allowed Kodua to steal in, with the West Ham forward expertly chipping over stranded Arsenal goalkeeper Noah Cooper from 40 yards out.

Kaelan Casey extended West Ham’s lead after 79 minutes by heading home from Ollie Scarles’ corner, while substitute Josh Briggs scored with his first touch at the death to rubber-stamp an emphatic victory.

The last time West Ham went all the way in this competition was in 1999, when a team containing Joe Cole and Michael Carrick thrashed Coventry 9-0 over two legs.

Taty Castellanos became the first player this century to score four past Real Madrid in LaLiga as Girona beat Los Blancos 4-2 at Montilivi on Tuesday to put Barcelona a step closer to the title.

Madrid went into the midweek round of fixtures 11 points adrift of their bitter rivals with eight games left, and this deserved defeat could see the gulf widen even further.

Castellanos netted twice inside 24 minutes to put Girona in charge, and although Vinicius Junior pulled one back just after the half-hour mark, Madrid largely looked blunt without the injured Karim Benzema.

Girona picked up where they left off at the start of the second half, Castellanos quickly completing his treble before adding a fourth that rendered Lucas Vazquez's late goal irrelevant.

Michel's side raced into an early lead.

Rodrigo Riquelme instigated a wonderful move with an incisive disguised ball into the box for Ivan Martin, who backheeled to Miguel Gutierrez, and his first-time cross was nodded home by Castellanos.

He got his second in the 24th minute, blasting home after nudging Eder Militao out of the way and racing on to a hopeful Arnau Martinez punt.

Vinicius nodded in Marco Asensio's right-wing cross in at the back post to earn Madrid a lifeline.

But the two-goal deficit was restored 36 seconds after half-time as Castellanos guided Yan Couto's delivery home.

Any remaining doubt about the outcome was then put to bed just past the hour, Castellanos heading a deflected cross past the unconvincing Andriy Lunin, with Vazquez's Vinicius-assisted tap-in too little, too late.

Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour thinks his old club will not have a better opportunity to win the Premier League than this season.

The Gunners face Manchester City on Wednesday night at the Etihad Stadium in a game that could ultimately decide who wins the title.

Mikel Arteta’s side have stumbled slightly in their pursuit of a first league championship since 2004, squandering two-goal leads against Liverpool and West Ham before being held to a 3-3 draw at home to Southampton despite fighting back late on.

Parlour, part of the ‘Invincibles’ side who famously won the title almost 20 years ago without losing a game, feels Arsenal may not get a better chance and fears teams like Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United will come back stronger next season.

He told the PA news agency: “Whatever happens this season I’m happy with the way they played, but they will not get a better chance to win the league.

“We know Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, they will all be stronger next year, so you’re in a position now to make history and the achievement will be right up there with anything that I won.

“They were outsiders to win the league at the start of the season, so there’s an opportunity and it doesn’t come round too often that you get the chance to be in this position with seven or eight games to go. But whatever happens I still think so much progress has been made this year.”

Pep Guardiola’s City have won the league in four out of the last five years and are aiming to make it three titles in a row, sitting five points behind Arsenal with two games in hand.

Arsenal’s last win came at the start of April, 4-1 against Leeds, and City are breathing down their necks thanks to a six-game winning run, having not dropped points since February.

Parlour continued: “I thought the pressure would pick up, with seven or eight games it always does and I’ve been in those situations myself.

“This is what you love football for, you never know what the season is going to hold for anyone and it’s been a rollercoaster ride for everyone at Arsenal this season, now they’ve just got to keep believing they can do it.

“(Wednesday’s game) won’t decide it, but it will be a big gauge where the title will go this season.”

While Arsenal have seen progress, they are relying on the league title to earn them some sort of silverware this season.

The North London side were knocked out of the Europa League by Sporting Lisbon, after exiting the FA Cup and Carabao Cup to City and Brighton respectively earlier in the campaign.

Manchester United were crowned Carabao Cup winners with victory over Newcastle in February and, should Arsenal miss out on the title, Parlour believes United will have had the better season.

Parlour said: “I think Manchester United will have certainly had the better season (if Arsenal don’t win the league). Trophies are the most important.

“You can argue Champions League (qualification) is so important for the clubs because of finances and the players you can attract into the club.

“But when I finished my career, I don’t look at it like, ‘Ooh, I came fourth eight years running’, I say the amount of trophies you won and that’s what you are proud of. On your honours list, fourth place doesn’t count.”

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Sofia Kenin crashed out of the Madrid Open in the first round on Tuesday, losing in just 58 minutes to Maryna Zavenska.

The 2020 Australian Open champion and former world number four has showed some flashes of her old form in 2023, having seen her career derailed by injuries since her triumph in Melbourne.

She reached the third round at the Miami Open in March, but was outclassed on the clay by her Belgian opponent, who raced to a 6-0 6-3 win.

Kenin's American compatriot Katie Volynets suffered defeat to Czech teenager Linda Fruhvirtova while Lauren Davis was beaten in three sets by Sorana Cirstea and Claire Liu lost in straight sets to Yulia Putintseva.

Karolina Muchova overcame former world number two Anett Kontaveit 6-2 6-2 but her Czech compatriot Babora Strycova lost to Elisabetta Cocciaretto.

Elsewhere in the draw, world number 79 Rebecca Marino claimed a surprise straight-sets win over world number 39 Zhu Lin.

Yorkshire are set to discover next week what punitive measures will be taken against them after accepting four amended charges of bringing the game into disrepute in the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal.

The club did not contest the charges, including a failure to address the use of racist and/or discriminatory language over a prolonged period, at last month’s Cricket Discipline Commission hearing.

Punishments range from a points deduction in the County Championship, One-Day Cup and T20 Blast to a fine, with a sanctions hearing to be held next Wednesday, the PA news agency understands.

Gary Ballance also admitted using racist and/or discriminatory language prior to the hearing but he announced his retirement from cricket last week after relocating back to his native Zimbabwe.

The England and Wales Cricket Board brought cases against six more former Yorkshire players – Michael Vaughan, Tim Bresnan, Matthew Hoggard, Andrew Gale, Richard Pyrah and John Blain.

Vaughan was cleared “on the balance of probabilities” of using racist language towards Rafiq but the five others were found liable of using racist and/or discriminatory language by the CDC panel.

Only Vaughan appeared at the public hearing to give evidence to the CDC panel, chaired by Tim O’Gorman, with Bresnan, Hoggard, Gale, Pyrah and Blain withdrawing from the process.

Some of the individuals may appeal against the guilty verdicts but their penalties – alongside that of Yorkshire and Ballance – are expected to be handed down next week.

Brighton and Hove Albion have tied highly rated striker Evan Ferguson down to a new five-year contract.

Ferguson has enjoyed a promising breakthrough season in the Premier League this term, attracting admiring glances from other clubs.

But Brighton, so respected for their development of youth prospects in recent years, look set to continue shaping the 18-year-old.

Ferguson made his Premier League debut in February last year but has established himself as a regular first-team option in the 2022-23 campaign.

A powerful and athletic forward, Ferguson has made 13 top-flight appearances and scored four goals – across all competitions, he has netted eight times in 19 games.

Ferguson also made the breakthrough at international level this season, becoming the second-youngest player (18 years, 154 days) to score on his first start for the Republic of Ireland last month.

Before that, Ferguson also became the second-youngest (18y 76d) player in Premier League history to both score and assist in a match after Michael Owen in 1997 (17y 364d) back in January against Everton.

Netting against the Toffees also made Ferguson the youngest player to score in successive Premier League games since Federico Macheda in 2009.

On Ferguson's new deal, Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi said: "Evan's contract extension is great news.

"He trains and plays like a senior player with many years of experience and has become an important member of the squad.

"The aim is to help him become one of the strongest strikers in Europe."