Joey Barton had cited Real Madrid's remarkable Champions League fightback against Manchester City as an example to Bristol Rovers before Saturday's promotion decider, but even he might have struggled to imagine the "footballing miracle" that unfolded.

Former City and Newcastle United midfielder Barton led Rovers into their final match of the League Two season outside the automatic promotion places on goal difference and so needing to better Northampton Town's result by five goals.

Still, boss Barton's focus was on what Rovers could achieve against already-relegated Scunthorpe United, rather than worrying about Northampton's result at Barrow.

"If we win 10-0, we're up, aren't we? It is in our hands in that way," he said, adding: "It's very rare you do someone by 10, but who knows?"

As it was, seven would do – tying a club record.

At half-time, Rovers were 2-0 up, but Northampton also led by two, 3-1 in front and coasting towards League One.

Having scored four in the second half of the previous week's sensational 4-3 win at Rochdale, Barton's side this time needed five in the same period.

But the one-time England international was not daunted by the challenge, having pointed to Madrid's turnaround that secured a Champions League final place.

"Madrid thought they were out of the Champions League, then they scored two goals in stoppage time," he had said. "It only takes a second to score a goal."

Rovers certainly did not lack ambition in pursuit of their unlikely aim, attempting 34 shots – the second-most by a team in a single League Two game this season.

Elliot Anderson, the Newcastle loanee dubbed 'the Geordie Maradona' following a comparison from Barton to the late Argentina legend, contributed to 15 of those efforts, taking eight shots himself and creating seven chances.

Following his signing, winger Anderson – who only ended up at Rovers after a Championship loan collapsed – led League Two in shot involvements (133) and ranked second for goal involvements (13).

It was no surprise then that the teenager, having supplied two assists, scored the decisive seventh goal in a 7-0 win while Northampton failed to add to their lead. Even Madrid would surely have been impressed.

"Incredible," Rovers owner Wael al-Qadi told BBC Sport. "It was fantastic to have experienced such a moment.

"The plan was to go for it. I never doubted this bunch of players. They went for it and look what happened. It's a footballing miracle."

Both the owner and Barton had taken to the pitch to plead with Rovers fans to return to the stands and allow the match to finish after Anderson's header.

"I can't describe it," Barton added. "It's probably something when I'm in my rocking chair, and the fact I've headed a lot of balls out at the near post area has caught up with me, I'll remember this favourably with Weetabix running down my chin.

"I'll be thinking of the scenes at the Mem on this day."

Ralf Rangnick apologised to Manchester United's supporters after what he said was their worst performance under his management, as the Red Devils capitulated in a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion.

United fell behind to Moises Caicedo's first-half strike before Marc Cucurella, Pascal Gross, and Leandro Trossard scored second-half goals to condemn the Red Devils to a humiliating defeat at the Amex Stadium. 

The Red Devils have now conceded more league goals this season (56) than they have in any other Premier League campaign, and with 58 points after 37 games, are guaranteed to record their lowest points tally in the competition (previously 64 in 2013-14).

Meanwhile, the Red Devils have now conceded four or more goals in 12 separate Premier League games since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, as many times as they did in 810 games under him in the competition.

Speaking to BT Sport after United's fifth consecutive away league defeat, Rangnick rejected the idea that his players had "ignored" his game plan but called the defeat "humiliating".

Asked whether the loss was the worst he had experienced since arriving at Old Trafford, Rangnick replied: "It was. From the first to the last minute this was just not enough, in all important areas we were second best and we can only apologise to our supporters. 

"It was a terrible performance and a humiliating defeat. Today, from the first minute we gave them too much time, too much space, we were never in a position where we could stop them playing through our lines.

"I don't think that they ignored the game plan, but we were just not able to stop them, we gave them too much time and space and if you do that against a technically good team like Brighton, this is the result."

Meanwhile, the Seagulls' comprehensive victory represented the biggest top-flight win in their history, in what was their 365th game at this level.

Rangnick attempted to change the game at the break by introducing Edinson Cavani and Fred, and despite three of Brighton's four goals arriving in the second period, maintained something had to change after United failed to register a shot on target in the first half.

"As I said, it was very, very difficult in the first half to stop them at all. In the second half we took the risk to bring on Edinson as a second striker plus Fred, and play 4-4-2", he added.

"In hindsight, maybe it was too much of a risk to play in a 4-4-2 against them but we had to change the energy, today we were just second best in all relevant areas. 

"Had we continued to play as we did in the first half it would only have been a question of time when we conceded the second goal, that's why I decided to take more of a risk with the 4-4-2. But with two early goals, it was a disaster for us. As a team, we didn't defend at all."

Rangnick now has just one match left in the Old Trafford dugout, with United rounding off their frustrating season with a final-day trip to Crystal Palace before Erik ten Hag takes charge.

Looking back on his tenure at United, Rangnick who will assume a consultancy position after vacating his coaching role, claims his side were "on the right pathway" for much of his time in charge, though admitted the Red Devils have been "really poor" recently.

"I think we have to split it into two different halves. Until the West Ham game [a 1-0 win in late January] or even the Tottenham game [a 3-2 victory in March], we had very good performances, when we beat Tottenham at home, West Ham at home, when we won [4-2] at Leeds, it was a completely different level of energy.

"But in games like today, or at Everton [a 1-0 defeat last month], it was a lack of energy, of aggressiveness. If you play like that without the ball you cannot win a game.

"When the call came in November it was clear I wanted to come, and as I said, in the first three or four months we were on the right pathway, we were in three competitions and had really good performances, but in the last four, five, six weeks, we were really poor."

Didier Deschamps and France have agreed not to discuss a new contract until after the World Cup but that does not mean Zinedine Zidane is guaranteed to take charge of Les Blues, says French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet.

Deschamps became France boss in 2012 and has since signed two contract extensions, the latter of which came after World Cup glory at Russia 2018.

The 53-year-old's current deal expires after Les Blues aim to defend their title at Qatar 2022, leading to speculation that former Real Madrid boss Zidane will be appointed after the tournament.

Le Graet suggested the appointment of Zidane has not already been pre-agreed as he placed his support behind Deschamps.

"We both agreed not to renew him until after the World Cup," Le Graet said of Deschamps to L'Equipe. "He's not mad at me. He adores me. I think he will never say anything bad about me. 

"He lost a game in the European Championship and for much of France, he should have been fired [after the last-16 exit to Switzerland at Euro 2020].

"We'll see at the end of the World Cup if he wants to renew. We will spend time in Guingamp to discuss."

When pressed for an answer as to Zidane taking charge as Deschamps' successor, Le Graet responded: "First of all, you have to be careful with what you say. Zidane showed in Madrid that he had qualities that were barely imagined. 

"In the minds of the French, he could be a successor. But that is not my goal. We'll see. If Didier and I split up, he will definitely be one of the options.

"I'm not going to say to myself: 'I hope Didier says he doesn't want to renew and I go see Zidane'. Do you see me saying today: 'It is Zidane who is going to replace Deschamps'? We'll see.

"Maybe Zidane will take charge of Paris Saint-Germain. To train the national team you have to be free. But today we will do everything possible to put Didier in the best conditions to win this World Cup."

Indeed, Zidane emerged as a favourite when reports circulated in France that Mauricio Pochettino's PSG job was under threat after Champions League elimination at the last-16 stage to Real Madrid.

Even if Zidane is available, Le Graet insists he has learnt from the mistakes of his predecessor and will not seek a new manager while Deschamps is still at the helm.

"I will never do what my predecessor [Jean-Pierre Escalettes] did, who had already signed Laurent Blanc before going to South Africa for the [2010] World Cup," he added.

"[Raymond] Domenech was already on alert. How do you expect the players to respect you when a successor has already been named? 

"It doesn't work and never will. In no case will I see another coach before having lunch with Didier after the World Cup."

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic for the first time with a battling 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 7-6 (7-5) triumph to book his place in the Madrid Open final.

World number one Djokovic breezed past Pole Hubert Hurkacz to reach the final four in Madrid for the seventh time, while Alcaraz battled past compatriot Rafael Nadal to make the semi-finals.

That made 19-year-old Alcaraz the first teenager to beat record 21-time grand slam winner Nadal on clay on the ATP Tour, and the Spaniard again raced out of the blocks as he immediately broke Djokovic.

However, the experienced Serbian returned the favour to level at 4-4, before eventually claiming the first set with a tie-break win after an hour-and-two-minute battle.

Neither relented in the second set, with both holding their first five service games before Alcaraz eventually broke the top seed – the first set Djokovic had dropped in Madrid – to send the match to a decider.

Alcaraz, buoyed on by a vociferous home crowd, had won three consecutive three-setters before the last-four meeting, and had the chance to follow suit, only for Djokovic to deliver an ace at match point.

Another tie-break was required to separate the pair, with Alcaraz eventually triumphing after three hours and 35 minutes to record his sixth straight win over top-10 ranked players.

Teenage star Alcaraz became the first player to defeat Nadal and Djokovic back-to-back, while he is the youngest player to defeat a world number one in 17 years.

Alcaraz, who has won his last nine matches, will now await the result of the other semi-final between Alexander Zverev and Stefano Tsitsipas to see who he will face in the final on Sunday in the Spanish capital.

Manchester United produced a terrible performance to fall to a fifth consecutive away loss in the Premier League as Brighton and Hove Albion thrashed the Red Devils 4-0 at the Amex Stadium.

Moises Caicedo struck a fine first-half effort beyond David de Gea, but worse was to come for United after half-time as Brighton took advantage of a dismal performance from their visitors.

Marc Cucurella, Pascal Gross and Leandro Trossard each scored in quick succession, with the Belgium winger finishing with a goal and two assists.

The result marked a new low in the Red Devils' woeful season, with their tally of 56 Premier League goals conceded this term representing their most in a single campaign in the competition's history.

Ralf Rangnick opted not to restore fit-again captain Harry Maguire to his defence, which was breached after 15 minutes when Caicedo drilled a brilliant finish into the bottom-left corner from outside the area.

Victor Lindelof was forced into a last-ditch clearance after a flowing move from the dominant hosts, before Danny Welbeck lobbed over the bar after latching onto Raphael Varane's poor touch.

Rangnick introduced Fred and Edinson Cavani after watching his team fail to register a shot on target before the break, but Cucurella then side-footed home from Trossard's 49th-minute cutback.

Brighton ended the game as a contest after 57 minutes when Gross produced a neat left-footed finish after taking Trossard's pass into his stride, and they were in dreamland as the creator turned scorer three minutes later, bundling in from close range after Welbeck's chipped effort.

Brighton almost had a fifth after 65 minutes when Diogo Dalot deflected Alexis Mac Allister's effort against his own post, while Welbeck also narrowly missed the target again as United endured another day to forget – Cavani's consolation ruled out for offside at the other end.

What does it mean? Red Devils confirm worst Premier League showing

United's capitulation saw the positivity of Monday's 3-0 win over Brentford evaporate and confirmed the 2021-22 season will be their worst ever in the Premier League.

With 58 points and just one game remaining, Rangnick's team will finish with their lowest points tally in the competition, unable to match the 64 they earned in 2013-14 under David Moyes and Ryan Giggs.

United stunned again

United have now conceded four or more goals in 12 separate Premier League matches since Alex Ferguson's 2013 retirement, as many as they did in 810 games under him in the competition.

Away-day woes continue

Following up defeats at Manchester City, Everton, Liverpool and Arsenal with another on the road, this is United's worst such run since they lost six away league games in a row between December 1980 and March 1981.

They could yet match that sequence when they go to Crystal Palace on the Premier League's final day.

What's next?

Brighton's penultimate Premier League match sees them travel to Leeds United next Sunday, while United have just one game remaining this term, away at Palace on May 22.

Thomas Tuchel said his Chelsea side took too many risks as they threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday.

On the day a £4.25billion sale of the Blues was agreed, Romelu Lukaku scored his first Premier League goals since a 1-1 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion on December 29 to put the hosts 2-0 up before the hour mark.

Substitute Trincao set up a dramatic finale with a fine goal in the 79th minute, before Conor Coady sealed a point for Wolves with a header in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

That goal was the second-latest Chelsea have conceded in the Premier League since Opta have exact times available (from 2006-07), after Luis Suarez's strike for Liverpool in April 2013 (96:30).

The result meant the Blues failed to win a top-flight game in which they were 2+ goals ahead for the first time since October 2020 against Southampton (3-3), having won 24 consecutive such prior matches.

Although Tuchel was largely happy with his side's display, the German bemoaned an inability to play things safe after Lukaku's brace had put them in pole position to claim all three points.

"I thought we started both halves well with an offensive 5-3-2," he told a media conference.

"We knew about the risks and we need to be disciplined. We showed discipline over most moments of the first half. In some situations we took too many risks.

"That cost us some dangerous moments at the end of the first half. I reminded the players at half-time to stick to the plan. We were 2-0 up and again we took too many risks.

"We invited the counter-attacks and big chances. Once you do this, you lose confidence and invite the opponent to smell something is possible when it is unnecessary.

"It's not about dropping too much, it's about where we were losing the ball and the opponent taking a crazy approach. Big chances that we don't create, the pass is missing, the dribbling is wrong.

"At some point we played like we were 2-0 down not 2-0 up. We tried to change the structure. I don't know if that was the right decision from me, I need to watch it back."

Tuchel refuted suggestions that the announcement of the takeover, led by Todd Boehly, Clearlake Capital, Mark Walter and Hansjorg Wyss, had any bearing on his side's late collapse. 

"I don't think ownership is a reason for lack of focus," he added. "We showed when the situation began that we can still focus. I would not consider this as an advantage for Leeds [who Chelsea play on Wednesday].

"It does not change much for us as the sanctions are not lifted. It's not worth thinking about, we have our own stuff to solve and make better."

Simon Yates claimed his fifth win at the Giro d'Italia as he triumphed in the short time-trial stage two in Budapest on Saturday.

Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma), who managed silver at the 2020 Olympics, produced a breathless ride to displace Matteo Sobrero (BikeExchange-Jayco) with the first time trial under 12 minutes on the 9.2-kilometre course.

However, Dumoulin soon relinquished his lead when Yates (BikeExchange-Jayco) breezed across the finish line in 11:50, five seconds faster than the 2017 Giro winner's initial benchmark.

Race leader Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) completed the time check just a second slower than Yates, but ultimately fell three seconds short of a second consecutive stage victory.

Dutchman Van der Poel, sporting the pink jersey after collecting stage-one honours in Visegrad, retains the Maglia Rosa, while Brit Yates climbs to second in the general classification standings.

While many suggested victory at stage two would lay down a marker for the rest of his competitors, Yates insists there is a long way to go in Italy.

"It doesn't really change anything for me, of course, really happy with the win but it was only a 12-minute effort," he told reporters.

"It's not going to be won over these 12 minutes I don't think, the next stages are going to be really different so let's stay calm and see what the next couple of days hold."

Yates was also quick to credit his team for their work.

"We put a lot of hard work into improving our equipment, looking back to October and November, we were really working hard on it and now we are seeing the results from it," he added.

"I have to thank our sponsors, they really helped me to get into a great position in the winter to refine that on the road, as well as help from my team."

Van der Poel keeps Maglia Rosa

Yates may have done significant early damage to his general classification rivals, but Van der Poel will keep the pink jersey. The Alpecin-Fenix rider becomes the third Dutchman to sport the Maglia Rosa in the first two stages after Erik Breukink in 1987 and Dumoulin in 2016.

STAGE RESULT 

1.Simon Yates (BikeExchange-Jayco): 11:50

2.Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix): +0:03

3.Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma): +0:05

4.Matteo Sobrero (BikeExchange-Jayco): +0:13

5.Ben Tulett (Ineos Grenadiers): +0:13

CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS 

General Classification

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) 4:47:11

2. Simon Yates (BikeExchange-Jayco) +0:11

3. Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma) +0:16

Points Classification

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) 62

2. Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert) 35

3. Peio Bilbao Lopez de Armentia (Bahrain Victorious) 25

King of the Mountains

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) 3

2. Rick Zabel (Israel-Premier Tech) 3

3. Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert) 2

Watford failed to save themselves as their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed by a 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

It meant Watford boss Roy Hodgson saw the final blow inflicted by one of his former clubs, as the Hornets missed out on the win they required to keep survival as a long-shot hope.

Wilfried Zaha's 31st-minute penalty, following a handball by Hassane Kamara, put Palace in front and proved to be the match-winner. Kamara was also sent off midway through the second half for a second bookable offence.

Even if Watford had won at Selhurst Park, they would have required further victories in their final three games against Everton, Leicester City and Chelsea, while hoping Leeds United or Burnley lost each of their remaining fixtures.

Hodgson, who left Palace last May after four seasons with the Eagles, was appointed Watford manager in January and inherited a side sitting 19th in the Premier League.

After earning promotion with Xisco at the helm, Watford fired the Spanish coach in October and brought in Claudio Ranieri, the Italian who led Leicester City to a shock title in the 2015-16 season.

Ranieri showed little sign of repeating past glories, and Hodgson also found the going tough, with Watford remaining 19th and now condemned to a swift return to the Championship, along with already-doomed Norwich City.

This will be Watford's fourth relegation from the Premier League, making them the sixth different side to be relegated from the competition on four or more occasions, after Norwich (6), West Brom (5), Palace, Middlesbrough and Sunderland (all 4).

Hodgson, who will leave Watford at the end of the season, this week said he would not be putting his name forward for Premier League jobs in the future at the age of 74.

Watford have now won just one of their last 30 league matches against London sides (D7 L22), with the exception being a 1-0 home win over Millwall in April 2021. They have lost 15 Premier League matches in a row against teams from the capital, the longest ever losing run against London teams in top-flight history.

Brazil legend Dani Alves is dreaming of winning the World Cup for the first time in Qatar to leave a legacy in the twilight of his career.

Alves turned 39 on Friday but the veteran Barcelona full-back is still going strong at the highest level.

The veteran has won an incredible haul of medals during his illustrious club career, while he helped his country win the Copa America twice and captained Brazil to Olympic glory in Tokyo last year.

It is 20 years since the Selecao last won the World Cup and Alves missed the 2018 tournament in Russia due to injury.

The Barca great says he has given plenty of thought to what might happen if he lifts the World Cup and hopes to realise that ambition this year.

He told Marca: "This is a question I have been asking myself since I started playing. After I win, what happens? The answer is always the same. We don't live for trophies, we live for legacy.

"But, not for the legacy we leave for people, but for the legacy we leave in people. This is the most important title I'm going to win.

"Is winning the World Cup a dream? Of course it is, but it is the same for all the teams that participate and for everyone who strives to be better every day."

Brazil have been drawn in Group G with Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon in Qatar.

Conor Coady scored with almost the last touch of the game as Wolves fought back to draw 2-2 with Chelsea on the day a £4.25billion sale of the Blues was agreed.

Todd Boehly, who leads the consortium that will complete a takeover later this month, was in attendance at Stamford Bridge as Romelu Lukaku scored his first Premier League goals since a 1-1 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion on December 29 to put the hosts 2-0 up before the hour mark.

Substitute Trinaco set up a dramatic finale, though, with a sumptuous goal 11 minutes from full-time.

Coady then popped up in the seventh minute of stoppage time to head home Chiquinho's cross and seal the most unlikely of points for the visitors.

Dani Alves wants to stay at Barcelona past the end of this season but acknowledges the club will decide his future.

Having left the Blaugrana to join Juventus in June 2016, Alves announced his return to Camp Nou in November 2021, though he had to wait until January to be eligible to feature for the Catalan giants.

The 39-year-old has contributed one goal and three assists in 13 appearances since then, 12 of them starts, as Barca look to ensure a top-four finish in LaLiga after improving since Xavi's arrival as head coach in November.

After making a positive impact since returning, Alves is hoping to extend his long association with Los Cules past the expiration of his deal at the end of the campaign.

While pledging to always "give 200 per cent" for the club, however, Alves admitted his future would be decided by others.

"I live intensely all day, without thinking beyond that because I don't know what will happen. But what is certain is that I would like to continue because I feel at home here," he told Marca.

"I am at this club and team, which I had to fight to return to for five years and I think I can keep contributing, although it doesn't only depend on me. 

"I'm not too worried about it, though. My mission was to come here and show what I can contribute. I'm not one of those people who thinks, because of my career and everything I've won, that I don't have to keep proving myself. 

"I will always think that I have to prove my worth. I can't do anything else but give 200 percent to the club that I love. But it's up to them to decide. 

"I know where I am in my life and my career, but I also know what's inside me. I think any club that doesn't have me is losing out. 

"If Barcelona want me to renew my contract, I'm delighted. If they don't want me to then I'll say 'thank you very much' and will continue to defend this club to the death wherever I am."

Having gone unbeaten in 13 away league games (eight wins, five draws), Barcelona can strengthen their grip on second place in LaLiga when they travel to Copa del Rey winners Real Betis on Saturday.

With things looking up again at Barcelona after the ill-fated tenure of Xavi's predecessor Ronald Koeman, Alves says the club's transfer business will decide whether the Blaugrana can compete for major honours next season.

"It will depend on the transfer market business. That will determine whether the club can aspire to great things or not. You have to get it right and add quality to what you already have," he added.

"Xavi's arrival brought knowledge of the club, of fighting for the badge and history of this club. It is also important to make mistakes because it gives you more experience. If you don't make mistakes, you don't see if what you're doing is right or not. 

"Mistakes have been made and we've seen which way isn't the way to go, so now the club is restructuring again. But we don't know how long it will take. 

"If the new signings take in the idea that Xavi proposes then it won't be long before the club aspires to great things again. If not, it will take a bit longer. But people need to understand where they are and what needs to be done to get good results."

Wydad took a huge step towards their fifth CAF Champions League final with a 3-1 win at Petro de Luanda in their semi-final first leg.

Petro had beaten the two-time African champions at home in this season's group stage, but they were blown away in the rematch in Angola on Saturday.

A fearsome Yahia Attiyat Allah free-kick from the right prompted Petro captain Tiago Azulao to head into his own net after 16 minutes, and Wydad's skipper had the ball in the net on the stroke of half-time as Yahya Jabrane unleashed a stunning drive into the top-left corner from 25 yards.

Any hopes of a second-half turnaround vanished when Guy Mbenza swept in number three midway through the second half.

Ricardo Job did pull a goal back nine minutes from time, seeing his free-kick bounce through the Wydad box, but William Soares was then sent off for dissent in stoppage time and Petro face an almighty task in Morocco, where they lost 5-1 earlier in the campaign.