Mikel Arteta was apologetic as he reflected on a “really sad day” after Arsenal’s faint Premier League title hopes were ended by a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Manchester City were confirmed as champions after Taiwo Awoniyi’s first-half goal saw Forest earn the three points that secured their top-flight status.
The Gunners, who were insatiable for most of the campaign, had spent 248 days on top of the table and held an eight-point lead over City in March, but an alarming slide saw them overtaken by Pep Guardiola’s relentless juggernaut who claim a fifth title in six seasons.
No team has spent more time on top of the table and not won the league, which left Arteta crestfallen.
“Really sad day, a lot of difficult emotions, we lost the game, we lost the championship after 10 and a half months fighting for it and nine and a half months almost on top of it,” he said.
“We built a lot of illusion and belief that we could go all the way and win it and in the end we fell short. Congratulations to Man City, they are the champions, they deserve to be the champions, they have done it for 38 games, we haven’t been able to do that.
“That is it and from my side I apologise because we have built that belief that we could do it and in the end the team wasn’t able to do it and that is my responsibility.
“Today is just a lot of sadness. You see a lot of people, they put everything, they put so much work, so much belief and so much hours and I am sad, I am sad for them because we wanted to find a way and squeeze everything we had in that group.
“We fell short and this is my job and my responsibility, I have to analyse that and think.
“Today we should have played much better, we gave them a goal and gave them another chance to score another goal if they wanted and we fell short to break them down.
“You need, when you come to April and May, 24 players there and available, fit and playing at their best, full of confidence and ready to go and for many reasons we haven’t had that.
“There are key moments in the league that define, the momentum goes there, the result goes there and we didn’t have those margins going on our side.”
For Forest it was a real red letter day as they secured their survival against the odds.
For large parts of the season, which began with more than 20 new signings, they looked destined to return straight back to the Championship, not least when they were on an 11-game winless run going into the end of April.
But Awoniyi’s hot streak, with five goals in three games, helped Steve Cooper’s side lift themselves out of the bottom three and they can no longer be caught by Southampton, Leicester or Everton.
It completes an impressive job by Cooper, who repaid Forest for the faith they showed when backing him amid their poor run, and his stock continues to rise.
Asked how he felt, the Welshman said: “Just pride, a great sense of belonging at being part of something really special and important for me.
“A brilliant day for the players and an equally great day for the supporters and one we deserved. It is difficult to use the word achievement at this football club because you have to be careful but it is just amazing to be able to allow the club to move forward, that’s what we all want to do.
“Now is the time to talk about the players, the supporters and the game. It is a real sense of belonging and being part of something greater than any one person.
“This was always going to be my toughest coaching challenge, but an enjoyable one, not a negative one. We have had everything this year, both positive and negative.
“It feels great, but I am more thinking about it just allows us to progress.”
The New York Yankees have decided to cut ties with struggling outfielder Aaron Hicks.
The Yankees designated Hicks for assignment on Saturday before their game against the Cincinnati Reds.
Through 28 games this season, Hicks is slashing just .188/.263/.261 with one home run, two doubles and five RBIS.
Among the 315 major league hitters with at least 75 plate appearances, Hicks' .524 OPS ranks 299th.
It is a costly decision for the Yankees, as Hicks' contract runs through 2025 and the team will be forced to eat nearly $30million remaining on the seven-year, $70m contract he signed in 2019.
The sides agreed to that deal after Hicks enjoyed a career year in 2018, when he hit 27 homers and drove in 79.
In almost four-and-a-half seasons since then, however, the 33-year-old Hicks has managed just 31 home runs while batting .218.
In a corresponding move Saturday, the Yankees selected the contract of outfielder Greg Allen from the minors.
The 30-year-old Allen was acquired in a trade from the Boston Red Sox on Friday and is beginning his second stint with the Yankees after appearing in 15 games for them in 2021.
Erling Haaland led Manchester City to the Premier League title with a record 36 goals.
The Norwegian beat the record of 34, set in the league’s early 42-game seasons by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer, and smashed Mohamed Salah’s 38-game record of 32.
With up to three league games remaining for Haaland, the PA news agency looks at his record in his debut season in England.
Hot-shot Haaland
From the moment Haaland announced himself with a brace against West Ham on his Premier League debut, he has proved a relentless threat to opposing defences.
He scored a record nine in his first five games, with hat-tricks against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, and equalled Micky Quinn’s six-game record to reach double figures.
Further trebles against Manchester United and Wolves made it four for the season, one off Shearer’s record of five in 1995-96, with Haaland adding five doubles for good measure.
In all, he has scored in 23 of his 33 league appearances and against 16 different opponents.
He failed to score in his one league appearance against Liverpool, or in their Community Shield clash, but did score in the Carabao Cup fourth-round tie. Brentford and Chelsea are the other names missing from the list, with return fixtures against those two clubs still to come.
Golden Boot winners
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 Salah in 28 appearances and Shearer and Cole in 30 on his way to inevitably adding a first Norwegian name to the roll of honour.
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
Manchester City sowed the seeds for their latest title success before they had even completed their 2022 triumph.
In May last year, as the team fought hard on the field to hold off the challenge of Liverpool, off it the top brass agreed a deal with Borussia Dortmund to sign Erling Haaland.
It was a bold statement by a club used to making bold statements.
The prolific Norwegian striker joined them in the summer and, almost instantly, an already formidable team became a seemingly unstoppable force.
Obviously it was not quite so straightforward, but after City’s powerful spring charge – when they reeled in and then flew past Arsenal without even a hint of feeling pressure – few could argue they are now one of the greatest teams to have graced the Premier League.
Haaland has been at the heart of it, scoring a barely believable and record-breaking 36 league goals so far in the process.
He not only surpassed the greats of the past, but left them trailing in his wake.
He overtook the previous record mark of 34 – set by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer in 42-game seasons in the mid-1990s – with five matches to spare.
He helped himself to four hat-tricks and formed a potent combination with the team’s chief playmaker, Kevin De Bruyne.
Rarely has a player made as big an impact as Haaland has and, given how City have adapted and improved around him as the season has gone on, there would seem to be plenty more to come.
Yet while Haaland may have been a hugely significant factor in City’s fifth title in six seasons, it would be unfair to give him all the credit.
De Bruyne has enjoyed another highly influential campaign, laying on 16 assists and scoring seven goals himself. Jack Grealish, now looking far more comfortable with his £100million tag, has also been a driving force while Rodri has developed into one of the strongest midfielders in the game and John Stones has excelled in a hybrid defence-midfield role.
Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Nathan Ake have also made big contributions at different times.
The key once again, however, has been the man in charge, Pep Guardiola. The inspirational Catalan has produced another masterclass of management, underlining his pre-eminence in the game and strengthening his position among the greats.
After two successive title wins with false nines or makeshift centre-forwards, Haaland’s arrival signalled a change of approach from the former Barcelona boss.
Initially there were doubts, with fears Haaland’s presence might disrupt City’s natural flow. Indeed, early on, it did seem his goals were masking some disjointed and indifferent performances.
Form either side of the World Cup break was patchy and underwhelming and allowed Arsenal to take early control of the race.
Yet Guardiola worked through the inconsistencies and ironed out the problems, with excellent man-management, tactical nous and his ferocious winning mentality. There were some well-timed criticisms, surprise selection calls and eyebrow-raising departures – Raheem Sterling, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus and Joao Cancelo – all of which have been vindicated as City came good when it really mattered.
Arsenal obviously let a strong position slip but, in a disrupted season, when City had more players at the World Cup than any other club, Guardiola paced the challenge perfectly. To have maintained intensity while also competing in two other competitions makes it all the more remarkable.
City still have to win two more finals to complete a glorious treble, but their Premier League success alone is a phenomenal achievement.
Tom Lawes’ career-best five for 22 included the wickets of England pair Zak Crawley and Sam Billings to propel LV= County Championship leaders Surrey to a 10-wicket thrashing of Kent.
Crawley fell for 34 having added just three to his overnight score before edging into the cordon, departing after Billings nicked off as the Kent captain bagged a pair at the Kia Oval.
Kent had slipped from 78 for one to 80 for four the previous evening and the writing was on the wall early on the third day as they were all out for a paltry 141 to leave Surrey needing just 58 to win.
Captain Rory Burns’ run-a-ball 36 helped them to their target in just 11.3 overs for their fourth win in six Division One matches this season – achieved with five sessions to spare.
Hampshire claimed their third win of the campaign as Liam Dawson’s six for 61 wrapped up an innings-and-135-run triumph over Northamptonshire at the Ageas Bowl.
Resuming on 50 for two in their follow-on and still needing 261 just to make their opponents bat again, Northamptonshire crumbled to a third successive innings defeat against bogey side Hampshire.
Saif Zaib, the only batter to reach double figures in Northamptonshire’s first innings of 56, registered an unbeaten 57 on Saturday as his side slid to 176 all out second time around.
Craig Overton recorded his best figures this summer to propel Somerset to their first championship win of 2023 as they crushed Middlesex by an innings and 12 runs at Lord’s.
Overton finished with five for 46, supported by fellow seamer Peter Siddle’s effort of three for 57, to dismiss the home side for 216 in their follow-on, with more than four sessions to spare.
Mark Stoneman, who occupied the crease for almost three hours in compiling 60, was the only man to register a fifty for a Middlesex side who have managed to post in excess of 250 only once this season.
Sir Alastair Cook is 13 runs away from a maiden century at Trent Bridge, where Essex nudged ahead of Nottinghamshire thanks to unbeaten half-centuries from the former England captain and Tom Westley.
Cook is 87 not out with Essex captain Tom Westley unbeaten on 70 as Essex closed on 199 for one for a 55-run lead over Nottinghamshire, who were earlier all out for 442, with Matthew Montgomery the penultimate batter to fall for a terrific 177.
In Division Two, England and Sussex will be nervously awaiting the results of a scan on Ollie Robinson’s left ankle, which restricted the seamer to just an eight-over burst against Glamorgan at Hove.
In his absence, Marnus Labuschagne, in his final innings for Glamorgan this summer, hit 138 ahead of linking up with Australia for the World Test Championship final and the Ashes.
Kiran Carlson’s 187 not out ushered Glamorgan to 499 for five and a lead of 141 at stumps.
Adam Hose and Gareth Roderick played major roles in Worcestershire achieving a three-wicket win over Leicestershire at New Road.
The odds were in the Foxes’ favour after Worcestershire lost two wickets for two runs on Friday evening on a pitch of variable bounce after being asked to chase 271 – the highest score of the game.
But Hose struck a fluent 84 and Roderick dug in for more than five hours to make an equally crucial 59 before Brett D’Oliveira, who battled away for 137 deliveries to score an unbeaten 41, and Adam Finch saw Worcestershire home.
England seamer Matthew Potts took two for 28 as Gloucestershire closed on 181 for six after being set 426 by Durham at Bristol.
Leo Cullen spoke of Leinster’s “devastation” as they were beaten 27-26 by La Rochelle in Saturday’s Champions Cup final at the Aviva Stadium.
The Irish province led 23-7 on the half hour mark after making a sensational start but they were unable to sustain the pace and the holders took charge after the interval to repeat the outcome of last season’s final.
Replacement prop Georges Henri Colombe scored the match-winning try in the 72nd minute to leave Leinster distraught in front of a home crowd in Dublin, mourning their third successive loss in a European final.
“Devastation is probably the word,” Cullen told BT Sport.
“The occasion, the amazing atmosphere in the crowd, both sets of supporters and two sets of players going full at it – everything you want in a final which goes down to one point. Unfortunately we’re the losers.
“We started the game really well. We could have been further in front. I thought we gave up a couple of softish tries. In the second-half although we had the lead we struggled to get out of that end of the field.
“La Rochelle got over in the end and you’ve got give them a huge amount of credit. Bitterly disappointing.
“It was two really good teams going at it and it was always going to go down to little moments.
“We were so close and at the end we just lacked a little bit of composure. It’s an agonising defeat. All the players were here in front of their friends and family, so it’s hard one.
“It’s painful when you reach this point and you know it means so much to everybody. We just haven’t quite been good enough to finish the job.”
La Rochelle head coach Ronan O’Gara revealed that during his half-time talk he reminded his players of Leinster’s recent record in Champions Cup finals, including last season when the rivals clashed in Marseille.
“It’s fantastic. It’s an incredibly special day at Lansdowne Road, a very special ground. It was a very difficult task that got even more difficult at 17-0!” O’Gara said.
“There was a bit of me going at half-time ‘is my speech going to be about playing for pride or do we have a chance’? 23-14 felt like a great half-time result for us.
“One of the staff reminded me we were minus eight in Marseille and today we were minus nine, so we built a little story about that to get the boys pumping.
“We had the internal energy and we had a great grip on the second-half. We won the hard way which is very, very pleasing.
“Unfortunately for the opponents, they haven’t got over the line in a long, long time, so that was always going to play.
“Of course it is (a psychological thing for Leinster) but it’s not respectful for me to go there. I was a coach grasping at straws trying to give his team hope at half-time, you have to tap into that.”
Manchester City have won the Premier League for a third successive year and a fifth time in six seasons.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the key players in their latest triumph.
Erling Haaland
The Norwegian has been an absolute sensation, scoring a record – and scarcely believable – 36 goals in City’s successful campaign. People doubted whether he would be able to maintain the phenomenal scoring rate of his early career once he arrived in the Premier League following his £51million move from Borussia Dortmund but he quickly dispelled their reservations. He formed a potent partnership with Kevin De Bruyne and bagged four hat-tricks along the way. City had to adjust their playing style to accommodate him, and this was seen as a factor in their early to mid-season inconsistency, but things had truly clicked by the run-in as City reeled in, then stormed past, Arsenal.
Kevin De Bruyne
It may not have been a vintage De Bruyne season, and some of Guardiola’s comments about him at times suggested the manager was not entirely satisfied with the Belgian, but he still produced another highly effective campaign. He truly got going and delivered when it really mattered as City entered the run-in, with his statistics again impressive. He contributed 16 assists, and while that figure is also testament to the brilliance of Haaland’s finishing, it is five more than anyone else in the competition. He also weighed in with seven goals.
Jack Grealish
It has taken time for Grealish to live up to his £100million billing but his second season at the club has been a considerable improvement on his first. There were some impressive performances in the early part of the campaign and since the World Cup he has reached that level on a consistent basis. He now seems more confident on the ball and has been harder for defenders to knock off it, while also showing a greater ability to pick out his team-mates. His progress has been good and City will hope there is more to come.
John Stones
The second half of the season saw Stones successfully combine all facets of his game. The England centre-back’s defending has improved considerably in recent years and, now comfortable in that role, he is confident enough to step into midfield when City are in possession. With his ball-playing ability, this defence-midfield hybrid role has added an extra dimension to the team’s play.
Rodri
The Spaniard’s influence in the City midfield has grown steadily since his arrival in 2019 and this season has seen him come of age. Physically strong and highly energetic, Rodri has been City’s driving force. He reads the game superbly, breaks up opposition attacks and powers forward. His passing ability and vision have been excellent with the likes of Haaland, De Bruyne and Grealish all benefiting enormously.
Manchester City are celebrating their third successive Premier League title and a fifth in six seasons.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the key games in their successful campaign.
October 2, Man City 6 Man Utd 3
City did not really hit their stride or find consistency until the spring but there were still some awesome demonstrations of their firepower – and particularly that of Erling Haaland – in the opening months. Their thrashing of arch-rivals United was especially sweet. Haaland helped himself to a hat-trick, his third treble in successive home games and one of six he notched in a record-breaking campaign, while Phil Foden also hit three in an emphatic display.
January 19, Man City 4 Tottenham 2
Pep Guardiola let his anger at his side be known after they rallied from 2-0 down at half-time to beat Spurs with goals from Julian Alvarez, Haaland and Riyad Mahrez (two). After defeats in the previous two games, the City boss felt the first-half showing was another indicator his players – who he labelled ‘happy flowers’ – were not fully focused. It did not mark a turning point in terms of results, as City were beaten at Spurs a few weeks later, but perhaps in attitude.
February 15, Arsenal 1 Man City 3
Fixture disruption in the autumn meant the two leading title contenders were kept apart until February and it was City who landed the first blow when they eventually met. Kevin De Bruyne’s opener was cancelled out by a Bukayo Saka penalty but City upped the tempo in the second half to win comfortably with goals from Jack Grealish and Haaland. The win took City above the Gunners to the top, albeit only on goal difference and having played a game more at that stage, but it was psychologically important and key in the final reckoning.
April 1, Man City 4 Liverpool 1
Despite the win over Arsenal, City had still not hit their fluid best and there remained doubts about their consistency. They started to show they really meant business when they put Liverpool, their chief title rivals in recent years, to the sword at the Etihad Stadium. Mohamed Salah put the Reds ahead with a thumping finish but City’s response, without injured top-scorer Haaland, was determined and impressive. Alvarez, De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Grealish all scored in a convincing win.
April 26, Man City 4 Arsenal 1
City outclassed the Gunners to take firm command of the title race. Just weeks earlier, Arsenal had been in control of their destiny but their advantage was eroded by three successive draws prior to their trip to the Etihad. It was clear the momentum was with City and they emphasised that with a dominant display in which Haaland and De Bruyne ran riot. De Bruyne scored two, both from Haaland passes, and the Norwegian inevitably got on the scoresheet himself. John Stones scored their other goal in an unexpectedly one-sided clash. Arsenal remained two points clear but, with two games in hand, City held the upper hand and did not relinquish it.
Manchester City became Premier League champions after Arsenal lost 1-0 at Nottingham Forest, who secured their top-flight status in style.
The Gunners, who were insatiable for most of the campaign, had spent 248 days on top of the table and held an eight-point lead over City in March, but an alarming slide saw them overtaken by Pep Guardiola’s relentless juggernaut.
And Taiwo Awoniyi’s first-half goal for Forest at a raucous City Ground ensured Guardiola’s side will lift the title for a fifth time in six seasons with three games to spare.
City’s champagne has been on ice for a couple of weeks as the Gunners, who also wilted badly at the end of last campaign, have won just two of their last eight Premier League games. However, they are confirmed runners-up going into their final game of the season next week.
For Forest, this was a real red letter day as they secured their survival against the odds.
For large parts of the season, which began with more than 20 new signings, they looked destined to return straight back to the Championship, not least when they were on an 11-game winless run going into the end of April.
But Awoniyi’s hot streak, with five goals in three games, helped Steve Cooper’s side lift themselves out of the bottom three and they can no longer be caught by Southampton, Leicester or Everton.
It completes an impressive job by Cooper, who repaid Forest for the faith they showed when backing him amid their poor run, and his stock continues to rise.
Everton’s draw at Wolves earlier in the day meant Forest came into the game knowing a win would guarantee their safety.
And backed by a vociferous home crowd, desperate to see their side secure survival at the place where they have won so many of their points this season, they made a strong start as Arsenal’s defence survived some early pressure.
The Gunners began to assert some level of control and Gabriel Jesus was denied by Forest goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who came out quickly to smother the ball, while the Brazilian nodded over at the far post.
But the City Ground exploded in the 19th minute as Forest punished their visitors with a lightning counter-attack.
Martin Odegaard loosely passed straight to Morgan Gibbs-White who surged forward at pace before feeding Awoniyi, who enjoyed a bit of fortune as Gabriel’s challenge bobbled against his leg and he scuffed past Aaron Ramsdale.
Arsenal had plenty of possession but lacked the creativity and guile to break Forest down in the first half, with Leandro Trossard and Jesus sending efforts tamely off target.
Forest vitally ensured they took their lead into the interval and could have doubled it soon after the restart.
After recycling a free-kick, Renan Lodi’s ball back in found Felipe and his shot from close range was blocked.
It was more of the same for the Gunners, who had plenty of the ball but did little with it. Bukayo Saka did have a moment of promise when he was played in but he fired straight at Navas.
Instead it was Forest who were pushing for a second and Gibbs-White squandered a good chance when he found the side-netting after taking advantage of Ben White’s slip, before Lodi drilled wide.
As the game entered the final 15 minutes with the holy grail of survival in touching distance, Forest began to sit deep and invite pressure on themselves.
It is unsurprising that nerves were so fraught as no side have conceded more goals in the final 15 minutes of matches than Forest’s 17 and every tackle, block and clearance was greeted with cheers as loud as a goal.
Gibbs-White fired straight at Ramsdale as Forest looked to make it a less tense ending for them, but Arsenal’s poor attacking display meant they were able to hold on to spark mass scenes of celebration.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp accepted his side have not been good enough to qualify for the Champions League this season.
A 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa not only ended a nine-match winning run but also made their outside hopes of making the top-four even more remote.
They would have to win their final match at Southampton and rely on Newcastle or Manchester United not picking up another point from their remaining two games, an outcome Klopp admits is not going to happen.
“I think the whole season is rather a season where we qualify for Europa League than for Champions League,” he said.
“We were for too long not good enough or ourselves.”
While the draw was a disappointment there was, at least, a memorable end as Roberto Firmino, who is leaving the club after eight influential years, came off the bench to score at the Kop end in the 89th minute to cancel out Jacob Ramsey’s first-half effort.
Firmino was not the only one saying goodbye to Anfield as James Milner and fellow midfielders Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, who were not in the matchday squad, are also departing when their contracts end next month and it added to an emotional but frustrating afternoon.
“This day was not an easy day for us – no excuse for anything, it just was not easy because we all love these four boys,” added Klopp.
“The first half was not great I would say. We were too much in a rush in both departments, with the ball, without the ball.
“Our pressing was not good, you could see we wanted but the timing was ‘Wow. ‘Who is where?’ That was not helpful.
“They (Villa) had moments in the game and they are a good football team obviously.
“It was clear in the second half we have to calm down, increase the pressure but calm down in the right areas, and that’s what we did and then you could see the whole game was for Aston Villa super-intense as well.”
Villa boss Unai Emery was satisfied with the performance, despite the late disappointment of conceding an equaliser.
His side moved above Tottenham and will secure European football with victory over Brighton in their final match next week.
“You can analyse 90 minutes in different ways,” Emery said.
“I think the first half we played very well but we played well because to play to avoid the high press is not easy and to play with the personality we did is not easy.
“To have got three points would have been fantastic, we defended very well and our commitment was fantastic.
“I’ve played here before and I know what a difficult match it is here at Anfield. They were in their best moment of the season, confident, trying to get top four.”
Manchester City were crowned Premier League champions after Arsenal lost 1-0 at Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening.
The Gunners needed to win to delay City’s title celebrations ahead of their home match against Chelsea on Sunday.
City had overhauled Arsenal’s eight-point lead as Mikel Arteta’s side faltered, winning 11 Premier League games in a row including a 4-1 victory over their rivals at the end of April.
Pep Guardiola’s team are unbeaten in their last 23 games through all competitions, having also reached the finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League final.
Forest’s victory also secured their own Premier League status again next season.
City have won the Premier League for the third successive campaign and a fifth in the past six years.
Nicholas Pooran once again played a starring role to help the Lucknow Super Giants beat the Kolkata Knight Riders by one run at Eden Gardens on Saturday and seal a playoff spot.
After KKR won the toss and elected to field first, LSG, propelled by an aggressive 58 from Pooran, posted 176-8 off their 20 overs.
Pooran’s knock came off just 30 balls and included four fours and five sixes. He was well supported by Quinton De Kock (28) and Prerak Mankad (27).
Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur and Vaibhav Arora all took two wickets, each, for the Knight Riders.
Then, despite a fighting 67* from Rinku Singh and 45 from Jason Roy, KKR finished their reply 175-7 off 20 overs, falling agonizingly short of the win.
Ravi Bishnoi led the way with the ball for Lucknow with 2-13 from his four overs while Yash Thakur also took a pair of wickets.
Bayern Munich relinquished control of the Bundesliga title race as they collapsed to a 3-1 defeat to RB Leipzig at the Allianz Arena.
The reigning champions had their destiny in their own hands when Serge Gnabry fired them ahead on Saturday, but a terrific counter-attack saw Konrad Laimer level things up in the second half.
A pair of late penalties then stunned Bayern, Christopher Nkunku converting after being tripped by Benjamin Pavard and Dominik Szoboszlai doing likewise following Noussair Mazraoui's handball.
Bayern now need Borussia Dortmund to slip up in one of their remaining games – at Augsburg on Sunday and against Mainz next Saturday – to have any chance of claiming an 11th consecutive title.
Lionel Messi has paid for Paris Saint-Germain's "obsession" with winning the Champions League, suggests Ander Herrera.
Messi moved to Parc des Princes in 2021 from Barcelona, and helped PSG to a Ligue 1 success in his first season.
PSG are on the brink of retaining their crown, though Messi's future at the club is far from certain.
Messi has been unable to drag PSG closer to their ultimate goal – winning the Champions League. Earlier in May, Messi was targeted by sections of the club's fanbase after he was suspended for taking an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia.
Herrera, who played with Messi last season, sees the PSG's dogmatic pursuit of European glory as the main issue.
"I was admiring Leo before [I knew] him, and after knowing him, I admire him even more as footballer and as a person," he told Stats Perform.
"I understand that Paris is a place that [does] not have much patience. There is an obsession to win the Champions League that doesn't help.
"I think that [they are] the only team in the world that, if [they] do not win the Champions League, it is a failure. All the rest can [have] good seasons without winning [it].
"In Paris, this patience and calm does not exist. You perceive that there is an obsession to win the Champions League, and at the end, who pays for it?
"[It is] the best ones [in] the team. They are the ones that receive the [criticism]."
Herrera also weighed in on speculation over the future of his former Manchester United team-mate David De Gea, amid questions over the goalkeeper's place at Old Trafford.
De Gea has come in for criticism after several key errors this term, but yet also claimed the Golden Glove once again for his Premier League performances.
The Spaniard's contract runs out at the end of the season, but includes an option for a further year, and Herrera feels United would be foolish to not keep his compatriot on.
"Of course David should continue," he added. "He has the record [for most clean sheets] in the club's history.
"He has been, four or five years, the best [in] the Premier League. A couple of mistakes won't affect his performance and his wining mentality."
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