John Lundstram admits Rangers cannot endure another season of frustration like this one after their last chance of silverware disappeared with a 1-0 Scottish Cup semi-final defeat against Celtic.
The Light Blues, who went into the game at Hampden Park as cup holders, were punished just before the break for failing to play to the whistle, with Daizen Maeda crossing for Jota to head in the only goal of the game.
Rangers have failed to beat their Old Firm rivals in their last six meetings and effectively the Hoops need only beat Championship side Inverness in the June 3 final to complete the domestic treble.
Midfielder Lundstram said: “We’re disappointed. I thought we played really well for large spells of the game.
“But we’ve just got to find that bit of quality in the final third and at the other end mistakes let us down again.
“The ball is still in play and the ref hasn’t blown his whistle. We’ve got to play to the whistle. It’s our mistake again. That’s disappointing.
“It’s frustrating for everyone but going forward into next season we’ve really, really got to nail it down because we can’t have another season like this season.
“We all want to win, we all want to do the right things, of course we do. But decision-making at times has got to be better.
“It’s let us down, not just today but on numerous occasions. All the lads have got to rally round and have a big, big push now for the start of the season.”
Lundstram insists there is belief in the dressing room that they can beat Celtic and they will get another chance when they host the Hoops in the final Old Firm league game at Ibrox in two weeks’ time.
He said: “You saw out there that there was a belief. We were the better team for large spells.
“We had one cleared off the line, hit the post, missed an open goal with Fashion (Sakala).
“So the belief is there but it’s just the fine margins. They are getting the fine margins better at the minute.
“At the end of the day we’ve got to finish those chances that we created.
“We’re getting in the right positions, it’s just not falling for us. It’s just frustrating for us at the minute and it’s still raw for me.
“Going forward, we need to start winning these Old Firm games. It’s no secret.
“Just really disappointed but of course going into the next one, those fine margins I’ve just spoken about, we can get them in our favour.”
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag says Bruno Fernandes’ match-winning display against Aston Villa highlighted just how “crazy” the recent debate about his captaincy was.
The Red Devils strengthened their grip on a Champions League spot on Sunday, when the 28-year-old’s first-half strike proved enough to seal a 1-0 win at Old Trafford.
It was the latest in a long line of impressive displays by Fernandes, who somehow recovered from sustaining an ankle complaint in last Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Brighton to play on Thursday.
Ten Hag heaped praised on the Portugal international after that 2-2 draw at Tottenham, calling him an “inspiration” and an example team-mates must follow.
The United boss offered similarly fulsome praise on Sunday and pointed out how laughable talk about his suitability for the captaincy was following the 7-0 loss at Liverpool.
Asked what it says about Fernandes’ resilience to be playing like he is a week on from that ankle knock, Ten Hag said: “A lot. I emphasise it all on Thursday in London.
“He’s so tough. A couple of weeks ago there was questions about his captaincy. It’s crazy because he’s such a big leader, by example.
“He gives so much energy to the team besides his smartness.
“But also his determination, his passion and his resilience, so I think we as a team are so happy.
“We need such players if you want to win games, if you want to win trophies.”
Ten Hag says “it’s a pleasure to work with players like” Fernandes, who skippered the side again with Harry Maguire on the bench and fired United to a victory that keeps them well placed for Champions League qualification.
“We have to keep going from game to game, but I think this is a brilliant week for us,” the Dutchman said.
“When you’re in the semi-final in a tough game against a good opponent (Brighton) as we have seen in the week, we played a very good game and get through to the final.
“Then Tottenham, in first half we played very well and today we play in two halves, I think, an impressive game, so big credit to the team.”
United head to Brighton on Thursday night looking to maintain momentum, while Villa have the chance to bounce back from a first loss in 10 weeks at Wolves on Saturday.
Emery’s men end the weekend seventh in the standings and the four-time Europa League winner is not giving up on continental qualification.
“It’s more difficult when you are trying to be in the top 10,” the Villa boss said.
“But it’s really difficult when you want to be in the European positions because you have to win and to win and to win.
“We were doing that but now we have to do it again. That is the more difficult step ahead that we have but we deserve it.
“Today against Manchester United we didn’t play as competitive as we have done in other matches.
“It could be because Manchester United is difficult and controlled the game.
“If we are defending more the attacking moments are more difficult.
“We didn’t play good in the first half and we were defending more. It was not enough. The performance in the second half was better.”
Manchester United fans protested against the Glazer family before and during Sunday’s Premier League match against Aston Villa.
Friday was the third, and what is expected to be final, deadline for interested parties to make offers to buy the club.
Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both submitted offers to the Glazers, who have faced fury from United fans since their leveraged takeover in 2005.
The 1958 – a United fan group that came to prominence last year – has led renewed protests and held another before the home match against Villa.
Leaving from central Manchester, the march continued on to Old Trafford as fans displayed a giant banner reading ‘Full $ale Only’.
Smoke from the flares outside rose through the concourses and filled the air inside Old Trafford as the players warmed up.
The 1958 also called for an 18-minute boycott of the match – “one minute for each year the Glazers have driven our club into the ground”. There were some visible empty seats at kick-off but Old Trafford was largely full.
Chants against the owners were heard from the outset and footage has emerged of manager Erik ten Hag briefly holding a green and gold scarf after Sunday’s 1-0 win.
Asked if background anger could make things harder for his side, the United boss said: “We felt really that the fans were behind us.
“So, we have to focus to be successful because that’s what the fans expect and they can expect.
“They have to rely on us, so we will focus on that.
“I’m sure when we keep performances like we do all season, the fans are behind us and there’s lot of energy and I think a really strong bond between the fans and the players.”
Celtic attacker Jota claims “smart” play led to his winning goal against Rangers which set up a Scottish Cup final meeting with Inverness.
There was little between the Old Firm rivals in a pulsating semi-final at Hampden Park until the Light Blues inexplicably switched off just before the break when referee Don Robertson took no action after Gers midfielder Nicolas Raskin challenged Matt O’Riley on the edge of the box.
Japan attacker Daizen Maeda took possession of the loose ball and swiftly crossed for Jota to bullet a header past Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregor which was enough to send Ange Postecoglou’s side to the June 3 final at the national stadium.
The Portuguese forward said: “We aim to be always good in every moment of the game and you need to be focused because there is always mistakes.
“Football is made of mistakes and you need to be able to understand when to take advantage of that and just be smart.
“Football is about that and when you have the opportunity, if you have the talent and if you are ruthless you get the opportunity to score and today was no different.
“Every game is different. As long as I can help the team achieve their goals, I will be happy, if I score or don’t score.
“To be in the right place at the right time inside the box is something we work a lot on and it is just a question of setting the moment. It felt like that could be a chance for me and I took it.”
The Viaplay Cup holders are one victory away from retaining the cinch Premiership title with Championship side Inverness standing in the way of domestic treble and Jota believes the clean sweep would be “amazing.”
He said: “If we keep on winning every game until the end then we are in a very good position of achieving amazing things and we aim for that.
“As a Celtic player in this group, we always aim for these trophies but in order to achieve that we have to work really hard from the start of the season.
“This one is no different. This is the final push and we have to go strong.”
Javi Gracia has admitted something must change after Leeds saw their survival hopes take a huge blow after a damaging 4-1 loss at Bournemouth.
Gracia watched his team lose for a fourth time in five matches and while they remain 16th in the Premier League, they face Manchester City and Newcastle over the next fortnight with only a point cushion to the relegation zone.
Patrick Bamford’s first-half header proved a mere consolation at the Vitality Stadium in the end with under-fire goalkeeper Illan Meslier at fault for two Bournemouth goals and a tactical tweak to a 5-2-3 failing to pay off for the former Watford boss.
“Of course, if we concede the mistakes we are conceding in all the games, it is difficult to compete well and to get the results we need. We have to be more consistent in defending, attacking more aggressively. If we don’t do that, it will be difficult to get the points we need,” Gracia conceded.
“I don’t like to speak much about our situation on the table or that but in this moment we are not in relegation (zone).
“Of course, we have now tough games and we have to be ready for that. We need to keep our mentality and try to believe we can do it.
“Above all, try to work hard these next days and try to prepare for the next game. It is the only way I know to improve the situation.
“You know when I arrived, the situation was even worse and now, of course, the last results are tough for all of us but we have to change this dynamic and we have four games to do it.”
When Gracia was asked if he still had the backing of the board, who only appointed the Spaniard on February 21, he provided a lacklustre answer that followed a similar defensively showing from his out-of-form side.
The 52-year-old did insist, however, that his players have the character to stay up despite Jefferson Lerma’s first-half brace, a sixth goal of the season for Dominic Solanke and Antoine Semenyo’s maiden Bournemouth strike increasing the pressure on Leeds.
“If I am here, I suppose,” Gracia replied when quizzed on the trust of the Leeds board.
“You need character and other values but I think my players have them.
“From half-time against Palace (5-1 defeat), everything changed and then we have to find a way to recover our level and we have to do it as soon as possible because there are only four games left.”
Leeds supporters initially vented their frustration at sporting director Victor Orta and the board during their 18th defeat of a tough campaign, but by the end of the 4-1 reverse their anger had turned to the players.
Gracia insisted: “I think Leeds supporters are always with the team. That is what I feel from my arrival.
“Of course, they prefer to be in another situation like all of us but in this moment, I think they expect to see their team play better and winning than listening to many words.”
Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil was delighted to see his side virtually secure safety but admitted there would be no lavish celebrations in his household.
“Yeah, 39 points from 34 games is a big effort,” the Cherries’ rookie manager said.
“Today is relief that we put in a big performance and achieved what I think is Premier League safety, so I will enjoy this evening with the family.
“I was in A&E last night with my youngest daughter. She had an accident, nothing serious, so get home and see how she is.
“Probably spend the evening in the lounge with maybe a beer, a tea, some chocolate. There are some Easter eggs left.
“Yeah, I will just enjoy it with them. I want to spend some time with the people who have supported me. They’ve seen some dark evenings in the O’Neil house, so let’s enjoy this one with them.”
Erling Haaland equalled the record for goals in a Premier League season as he scored an early penalty in Manchester City’s 2-1 win at Fulham.
His feat is even more impressive as the record of 34 was set in the league’s early 42-game seasons by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer – here, the PA news agency looks at how Haaland compares.
Andy Cole, Newcastle, 1993-94
Appearances: 40
Goals: 34
Assists: 13
Cole scored only once in the first four games but got 15 in the next 12, including all the goals in a 3-0 win over Liverpool and doubles against Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham and Oldham.
Another hat-trick against Coventry and a standout performance in the return game with the Hammers, with a goal and three assists in a 4-2 win, were further highlights of his season. His 13 assists also led the Premier League as Newcastle finished third, making him the only man until Harry Kane in 2020-21 to top both charts outright.
Alan Shearer, Blackburn, 1994-95
Appearances: 42
Goals: 34
Assists: 13
Shearer was ever-present as he equalled Cole’s record and led Blackburn to the title – like Cole, completing his tally with a goal on the final day of the season. He scored three hat-tricks – all in 3-0 wins at Ewood Park, against QPR, West Ham and Ipswich – and four doubles in his second of three straight 30-goal seasons.
He matched Cole’s assists tally as well, ranking third in the top flight as he and strike partner Chris Sutton combined to set each other up on 13 occasions, a record broken by Kane two years ago in tandem with Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min.
Erling Haaland, Manchester City, 2022-23
Appearances: 30
Goals: 34
Assists: 7
Haaland wasted no time making his mark in the Premier League – scoring two goals on his debut against West Ham, a record nine in his first five games and 15 in nine. He has four hat-tricks to his name and one more will equal Shearer’s record of five in a season set in his 31-goal 1995-96 campaign.
The record-equalling penalty at Craven Cottage brought up his half-century in all competitions, having scored 12 goals in eight Champions League appearances and four in the domestic cups.
His league assist tally, though in single figures, still ranks joint-sixth in the top flight this season, defying scrutiny of his perceived one-dimensional role in Pep Guardiola’s side.
Roll of honour
Haaland began hauling in previous Golden Boot-winning tallies as early as November 5 after 18 goals in his first 12 games.
The 23-goal mark that has won the last three awards lasted only until January’s hat-trick against Wolves, which accounted for nine previous Golden Boot seasons in all, while he matched Mohamed Salah’s 38-game record of 32 in just 28 appearances.
18 goals – Michael Owen, Dion Dublin and Chris Sutton 1997-98; Owen, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Dwight Yorke 1998-99
Appearances: 12
v Fulham (H), November 5
19 – Nicolas Anelka 2008-09
Appearances: 14
v Leeds (A), December 28
20 – Didier Drogba 2006-07; Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez 2010-11
Appearances: 14
v Leeds (A), December 28
22 – Teddy Sheringham 1992-93; Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 2018-19
Appearances: 18
v Tottenham (H), January 19
23 – Hasselbaink 2000-01; Jamie Vardy 2019-20; Harry Kane 2020-21; Salah and Son Heung-min 2021-22
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22
24 – Thierry Henry 2001-02
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22
25 – Alan Shearer 1996-97; Ruud van Nistelrooy 2002-03; Henry 2004-05; Kane 2015-16
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22
26 – Robin van Persie 2012-13; Sergio Aguero 2014-15
Appearances: 22
v Arsenal (A), February 15
27 – Henry 2005-06
Appearances: 24
v Bournemouth (A), February 25
29 – Drogba 2009-10; Kane 2016-17
Appearances: 27
v Southampton (A), April 8
30 – Kevin Phillips 1999-2000; Henry 2003-04; Van Persie 2011-12
Appearances: 27
v Southampton (A), April 8
31 – Shearer 1995-96; Cristiano Ronaldo 2007-08; Luis Suarez 2013-14
Appearances: 28
v Leicester (H), April 15
32 – Salah 2017-18
Appearances: 28
v Leicester (H), April 15
34 – Andy Cole 1993-94; Shearer 1994-95
Appearances: 30
v Fulham (A), April 30
Erling Haaland equalled the record for goals in a Premier League season as he scored an early penalty in Manchester City’s 2-1 win at Fulham.
His feat is even more impressive as the record of 34 was set in the league’s early 42-game seasons by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer – here, the PA news agency looks at how Haaland compares.
Andy Cole, Newcastle, 1993-94Appearances: 40
Goals: 34
Assists: 13
Cole scored only once in the first four games but got 15 in the next 12, including all the goals in a 3-0 win over Liverpool and doubles against Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham and Oldham.
Another hat-trick against Coventry and a standout performance in the return game with the Hammers, with a goal and three assists in a 4-2 win, were further highlights of his season. His 13 assists also led the Premier League as Newcastle finished third, making him the only man until Harry Kane in 2020-21 to top both charts outright.
Alan Shearer, Blackburn, 1994-95Appearances: 42
Goals: 34
Assists: 13
Shearer was ever-present as he equalled Cole’s record and led Blackburn to the title – like Cole, completing his tally with a goal on the final day of the season. He scored three hat-tricks – all in 3-0 wins at Ewood Park, against QPR, West Ham and Ipswich – and four doubles in his second of three straight 30-goal seasons.
He matched Cole’s assists tally as well, ranking third in the top flight as he and strike partner Chris Sutton combined to set each other up on 13 occasions, a record broken by Kane two years ago in tandem with Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min.
Erling Haaland, Manchester City, 2022-23Appearances: 30
Goals: 34
Assists: 7
Haaland wasted no time making his mark in the Premier League – scoring two goals on his debut against West Ham, a record nine in his first five games and 15 in nine. He has four hat-tricks to his name and one more will equal Shearer’s record of five in a season set in his 31-goal 1995-96 campaign.
The record-equalling penalty at Craven Cottage brought up his half-century in all competitions, having scored 12 goals in eight Champions League appearances and four in the domestic cups.
His league assist tally, though in single figures, still ranks joint-sixth in the top flight this season, defying scrutiny of his perceived one-dimensional role in Pep Guardiola’s side.
Roll of honourHaaland began hauling in previous Golden Boot-winning tallies as early as November 5 after 18 goals in his first 12 games.
The 23-goal mark that has won the last three awards lasted only until January’s hat-trick against Wolves, which accounted for nine previous Golden Boot seasons in all, while he matched Mohamed Salah’s 38-game record of 32 in just 28 appearances.
18 goals – Michael Owen, Dion Dublin and Chris Sutton 1997-98; Owen, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Dwight Yorke 1998-99
Appearances: 12
v Fulham (H), November 5
19 – Nicolas Anelka 2008-09
Appearances: 14
v Leeds (A), December 28
20 – Didier Drogba 2006-07; Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez 2010-11
Appearances: 14
v Leeds (A), December 28
22 – Teddy Sheringham 1992-93; Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 2018-19
Appearances: 18
v Tottenham (H), January 19
23 – Hasselbaink 2000-01; Jamie Vardy 2019-20; Harry Kane 2020-21; Salah and Son Heung-min 2021-22
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22
24 – Thierry Henry 2001-02
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22
25 – Alan Shearer 1996-97; Ruud van Nistelrooy 2002-03; Henry 2004-05; Kane 2015-16
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22
26 – Robin van Persie 2012-13; Sergio Aguero 2014-15
Appearances: 22
v Arsenal (A), February 15
27 – Henry 2005-06
Appearances: 24
v Bournemouth (A), February 25
29 – Drogba 2009-10; Kane 2016-17
Appearances: 27
v Southampton (A), April 8
30 – Kevin Phillips 1999-2000; Henry 2003-04; Van Persie 2011-12
Appearances: 27
v Southampton (A), April 8
31 – Shearer 1995-96; Cristiano Ronaldo 2007-08; Luis Suarez 2013-14
Appearances: 28
v Leicester (H), April 15
32 – Salah 2017-18
Appearances: 28
v Leicester (H), April 15
34 – Andy Cole 1993-94; Shearer 1994-95
Appearances: 30
v Fulham (A), April 30
Josh Dasilva believes Brentford have turned their Gtech Community Stadium into a fortress this season.
The Bees have lost just twice at home, against Arsenal and Newcastle, and came from a goal down to beat Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Substitute Dasilva was the hero of their latest victory with his stoppage-time winner.
But he had a nervous wait to find out if the goal would stand after a VAR review to check whether Yoane Wissa was offside.
“I wasn’t sure why,” he said. “I was pretty confident I was onside, but speaking to the guys on the bench, they were saying that Wissa might have been offside. But they gave it, so happy days.
“When they start checking it, you always think they’re not going to give it, so when they do give it, it’s an extra bit of energy. It wasn’t our best game, but we pulled through and got the win.
“The fans give us so much energy. We’ve made it a fortress – we’ve only lost two games here which is amazing – and the fans give us so much. When you score a last-minute winner, it’s always electric. I was buzzing.”
Forest went ahead through Danilo’s strike in first-half stoppage time, but Ivan Toney equalised when his free-kick squirmed between Keylor Navas and the far post.
With doubts persisting over number one goalkeeper Dean Henderson’s fitness, manager Steve Cooper was quizzed about Navas’ role in both goals.
He said: “I just think that now is not the time to speak about anyone. It’s about real togetherness and about sticking together.”
Danilo will undergo a scan on the hamstring injury which forced him off in the closing moments.
Defeat left Forest above the relegation zone by one point with Leicester and Everton, the teams directly below them, playing each other on Monday night.
Sergio Perez warned Max Verstappen he will fight to win the world championship after beating his Red Bull team-mate to victory in Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The Mexican driver took advantage of an early safety car to pit for new tyres and leapfrog Verstappen before controlling the race to win for a second time this year.
Red Bull are the dominant force in Formula One and Perez’s Baku triumph was the team’s 14th win from their last 15 outings.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished third on Sunday, was 21 seconds behind. Lewis Hamilton, sixth for Mercedes, was an eye-watering 46 seconds down the road.
Such is the superiority of his Red Bull machine, Verstappen is still expected to cruise to his third title, but Perez’s victory here breathes fresh life into this year’s title battle.
Perez, who also won Saturday’s sprint race, is now just six points behind Verstappen in the standings after four rounds.
“It is a long year ahead, but I really believe I am in the fight,” said Perez, who dropped points last time out in Australia following a qualifying horror show.
“I wouldn’t say today’s race was my best ever, but it was just very good. I pushed from start to the end without mistakes. When you do that, you believe you can beat anyone so it is just about keeping it up throughout the season.
“I only regret the problems we had in Melbourne that made us lose a lot of points. Without that, I could have been closer in the championship.”
Perez was lauded by his race engineer, Hugh Bird, as the “King of the Streets” after he crossed the line 2.1 sec clear of Verstappen.
The 33-year-old’s victory was his second in Azerbaijan – no other driver has won in Baku more than once – while he has also taken the chequered flag at street venues in Jeddah in March, and Monaco and Singapore last year. Next Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix is also on a street course.
Verstappen would have expected to extend his title lead after blasting past pole-sitter Leclerc on the third lap. But his race fell apart when Nyck de Vries crashed out at the fourth corner.
Verstappen pulled in for new tyres but just moments later the safety car was deployed with De Vries’ broken AlphaTauri needing to be cleared.
With the field running at a controlled speed, Perez was able to stop for rubber and retain the lead.
Verstappen fell from first to third, later re-passing Leclerc, but never threatening to reel in his team-mate.
“I want to win this world championship as much as Max does but there is a lot of respect between us,” added Perez.
“We are very similar in the way we approach the sport so I do not believe our relationship will change.”
Verstappen added: “It is a very long season so it is all about consistency.
“Sergio has really been on it this year and performing well and that is great. He is feeling confident in the car.
“You need to acknowledge and appreciate when somebody has done a great job and that is what happened today. We will fight for the rest of the season.”
Like Verstappen, a pre-safety car change of tyres also cost Hamilton. The British driver dropped from fifth to 10th once the order had shuffled out.
He drove well to move up to sixth, pressing Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to the flag – at one stage calling on his Mercedes team to provide him with “more power” – but he was unable to find a way past. Hamilton is pinning his hopes on a Mercedes upgrade, expected at Imola on May 21.
“This result is all we can ask for right now,” said the seven-time world champion. “Hopefully the upgrades will put us in the fight. We are counting down the days and weeks until then.”
Fernando Alonso finished fourth for Aston Martin, while George Russell, called a “d***head” by Verstappen following their first-lap collision in Saturday’s shortened race, came home in eighth.
McLaren’s Lando Norris claimed two points after he crossed the line in ninth.
Comeback king Luca Brecel revelled in his new role as a front-runner after dominating the opening session of the World Snooker Championship final against four-time winner Mark Selby at the Crucible.
The Belgian, who reeled off seven straight frames to sink Ronnie O’Sullivan in the last eight and then 11 in a row to overcome Si Jiahui, continued his exhilarating progress as he soared into a 6-2 lead ahead of their resumption later on Sunday.
Brecel’s high-octane approach was underscored in the final frame of the session when he clattered the cue-ball into the pack, scattering reds around the table and gifting him the chance to mop up with a break of 70.
In contrast, there were worrying signs for Selby, not-so-fresh from his early hours semi-final win over Mark Allen, who missed a number of early chances and produced rare errors in his safety game that were brutally exposed by the buoyant 28-year-old.
Brecel, having never won a match in five previous visits to the Crucible, continued his apparently nerveless approach by reeling off the first three frames including breaks of 77 and 90.
Errors littered Selby’s game, including two missed blacks off their spots, and he could have been further punished in the fourth frame when he ran aground on 36, only for Brecel to leave a red dangling over the middle pocket.
Selby, however, failed to capitalise on getting his first frame on the board. Brecel pressed further ahead after a well-crafted break of 67, then got the better of a lengthy safety exchange to clinch the sixth by cutting in a tight blue.
Even when Selby responded with a frame-winning break of 62 in the next, the questions remained, as another missed black briefly tempted Brecel back to the table in search of snookers.
He quickly aborted his unlikely mission, preferring to get back to what he did best, and it was not long before his aggressive approach paid dividends once again as he ended the afternoon with a four-frame advantage.
Bayern Munich defeated Hertha Berlin 2-0 at the Allianz Arena on Sunday to leapfrog Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga.
Dortmund's 1-1 draw with Bochum on Friday opened the door for Bayern to pounce, and the 10-in-a-row champions just about took advantage against the division's bottom side.
After being frustrated by their opponents for large parts, Serge Gnabry headed in from Joshua Kimmich's dinked pass to open the scoring in the 69th minute.
Kingsley Coman added a second 10 minutes later as Bayern moved one point ahead of Dortmund with four games to go in the German top flight.
Bayern have scored the most first-half goals of any Bundesliga side this term, while Hertha have conceded the joint-most, but the hosts could not find a way past Oliver Christensen.
The Hertha keeper impressively denied Gnabry and Coman, with the latter also having a penalty shout rejected after being challenged by Maximilian Mittelstadt.
Sadio Mane missed headed opportunities either side of half-time, though Tuchel's side did eventually find a way through a little over 20 minutes from time in Bavaria.
Kimmich lofted the ball into the area and Gnabry buried a diving header past Christensen to give Bayern lift-off.
Christensen did well to keep out Coman's attempt shortly after, but the France international made no mistake when controlling Kimmich's pass over the top and sealing the win.
Manchester City are top of the Premier League for the first time since February 17 thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Pep Guardiola’s men were pushed until the end by Fulham, who stuck doggedly with the in-form champions throughout the match.
Far more experienced top-flight sides might have crumbled when Erling Haaland netted his 50th goal of the season from the penalty spot after just three minutes.
However, Fulham managed to find a leveller a little over 10 minutes later through Carlos Vinicius, who has struggled for goals since he became a regular starter in the absence of the suspended Aleksandar Mitrovic.
It took a touch of class from Julian Alvarez to restored the visitors’ advantage in the first half, superbly curling home what proved to be the winner.
It was Fulham who looked most likely to score again as the game neared its conclusion, but City held on to move above Arsenal.
Haaland made no mistakes with his powerful penalty just three minutes in after Tim Ream, who has been a mainstay of the Fulham defence this campaign, was judged to have brought down Alvarez in the box.
The goal all-but killed any forward momentum from Fulham who reverted to a defensive formation to try and curb City’s attacking threat.
Jack Grealish had a low drive saved by Leno in the 14th minute, but Fulham found an equaliser against the run of play just moments later.
Vinicius, who had only scored two goals previously this season, thrashed a fine finish past Ederson in the 15th minute.
The forward, who has been criticised by the home fans in recent weeks for his lack of end product, was in the right place after Harry Wilson flicked the ball down into his path, and made no mistake with his left-foot strike.
Fulham were dealt a blow in the 20th minute with the loss of on-field captain Ream, who slipped trying to make a tackle and landed awkwardly on his arm.
City maintained their pressure on the Fulham defence, with Leno called into action again to tip a Grealish effort onto the bar and Antonee Robinson denying Alvarez at the far post.
The visitors restored on 36 minutes, with a stunning curled strike into the corner from Alvarez.
The Argentinian held off the defenders to create an opening outside of the box before taking his shot.
City started the second half in the same manner they finished the first, with Leno diving low to his right to deny a low effort from Haaland.
Andreas Pereira was carried off on a stretcher following a coming-together with Manuel Akanji, forcing manager Marco Silva into his second unplanned change of the afternoon.
Fulham had a chance to score a second leveller when Vinicius was played in down the left side of the box, but Ederson was just able to gather and deny the forward a shot at what would have been an empty goal.
Tempers flared briefly between Grealish and Kenny Tete as Fulham felt they should have been given a penalty when Bobby De Cordova-Reid was brought down in the box, but Hooper waved play on.
The game finished in tense fashion, but City are back at the summit of the Premier League – a point ahead of the Gunners having played a game fewer.
Simone Inzaghi revelled in "one of the best games" of his Inter tenure after the Nerazzurri roared back from a goal down to beat Lazio in an absorbing contest at San Siro.
Inzaghi looked set to suffer defeat against his former club when Felipe Anderson fired the visitors ahead, but three goals in the final 13 minutes turned the game on its head.
Two one-on-one finishes from substitute Lautaro Martinez – coming either side of Robin Gosens' acrobatic strike – ensured Inter leapfrogged Milan and Roma to move into Serie A's top four.
Lazio's defeat had handed runaway leaders Napoli the opportunity to clinch their first Scudetto since the Diego Maradona era on Sunday, but Luciano Spalletti's men were made to wait after they could only draw 1-1 with Salernitana.
Inzaghi believed Inter's victory was richly deserved even after seeing them fall behind, telling Sky Sport in Italy: "This was one of the best games since I've been here.
"At the end of the first half, I told my players that they should continue to play like that. We were down but we had put in a great performance after a very busy Wednesday.
"Let's not forget that we were playing against the team second in the table. Today, I saw a really beautiful Inter team."
Martinez's brace – his first in Serie A since January – was accompanied by a pair of assists from fellow striker Romelu Lukaku, who has started to hit form following a frustrating start to his loan spell.
With a huge Champions League semi-final tie against Milan to come, Inzaghi is unable to split his four forwards, with Edin Dzeko and Joaquin Correa also competing for a starting spot.
Asked which duo were ahead in the battle to start, Inzaghi said: "Inter's four starters at the moment are Lautaro, Lukaku, Correa and Dzeko.
"If you look at the playing time of the last few games, they've alternated and given each other great satisfaction.
"Right now we saw Lautaro's two great goals. If we didn't have to play like we did before December, we would always have had Lautaro like this.
"I have high hopes because he's an extraordinary guy, with the way he works."
Bruno Fernandes’ strike strengthened Manchester United’s grip on Champions League qualification and ended Aston Villa’s 10-match unbeaten run.
Unai Emery has overseen an incredible turnaround since replacing Steven Gerrard and kicking off his Villa reign with an impressive win against the Red Devils in November.
But Fernandes’ first-half goal sealed United a 1-0 victory amid a backdrop of anti-Glazer protests on Sunday.
United had failed to win their last three Premier League matches against the Birmingham outfit and looked determined to halt that run as they flew out of the blocks at Old Trafford.
Casemiro struck the crossbar before Erik ten Hag’s men deservedly went ahead when Fernandes fought to turn home after Emiliano Martinez pushed away a Marcus Rashford shot.
Villa could not respond as they failed to score in a Premier League match for the first time under Emery, with the impressive Victor Lindelof clearing a late Douglas Luiz attempt off the line.
The match came just two days after Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe submitted their third, and what is expected to be final, offers to buy United.
Other parties are interested in minority investment, and it was reported that Joel and Avram Glazer could remain stakeholders under one deal being proposed by Ratcliffe.
A group of United fans marched to Old Trafford in protest against the Glazers, with a giant banner reading ‘Full $ale Only’.
Protestors’ flares outside the ground also filled the air inside Old Trafford but many did not heed the call for an 18-minute boycott – a minute for each year of the Glazers’ ownership.
Those that stayed outside did not miss any goals despite an impressive United start.
Rashford struck narrowly wide having been slipped through by Marcel Sabitzer, unaware he would be flagged for offside in the build-up.
The 25-year-old soon had another chance as Fernandes smartly played him in to get away a shot that Martinez spread himself well to stop.
The Villa goalkeeper did well there but was twice breathing a sigh of relief soon after.
United failed to punish him after he raced off his line to cut out a ball, then the World Cup winner slipped only for a Fernandes cross to just evade team-mates.
Emery’s side had offered precious little in response but had a superb opportunity around the 20-minute mark.
Ollie Watkins slipped at the far post as Emiliano Buendia set over a tantalising low ball, with Alex Moreno’s fierce follow-up denied by David De Gea.
Watkins’ penalty appeals fell on deaf ears, as did the United spot-kick calls that followed in a spell that saw Casemiro avoid a booking for a challenge on Ramsey.
The midfielder has been below par in recent matches but was superb on Sunday and went agonisingly close to a 28th-minute opener.
Jadon Sancho met a diagonal ball with some fine work on the left, before cutting back for Casemiro to eventually hit a strike that rattled the crossbar.
An entertaining half looked to set to end scoreless, only for Fernandes to make the breakthrough in the 39th minute.
Martinez’s goal-kick was headed away powerfully, putting Rashford through on goal.
The goalkeeper could only push away the forward’s low strike and Fernandes beat Moreno to turn home the loose ball. The skipper celebrated by staring at the away fans that had been goading him.
Fernandes’ strike was given the green light after a VAR check and he saw a stoppage-time attempt at a second comfortably held by Martinez.
Villa showed signs of life in the second half, but Lindelof frustrated Watkins and Ramsey.
Martinez stopped Rashford at the other end and Christian Eriksen dragged wide shortly after seeing a cross coolly cut out by Tyrone Mings.
Rashford went down claiming a penalty against Calum Chambers, while Casemiro went close as play continued without intervention.
Villa nearly capitalised in the 81st minute. Some penalty area pinball ended with Luiz seeing a shot blocked by Sabitzer, before Lindelof rose to head his goalbound follow-up off the line.
There were Villa cheers when United brought on Harry Maguire, but the away side could not find a leveller.
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