Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will have "an extra level of motivation" when they face Tottenham on Thursday knowing a victory would seal Champions League qualification.
The Gunners extended their winning run to four Premier League matches at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, seeing off 10-man Leeds United 2-1 to go four points clear of Spurs.
Eddie Nketiah punished Illan Meslier's early howler to open the scoring and the striker doubled Arsenal's lead with a clinical finish only 10 minutes in.
Things went from bad to worse for Leeds in a nightmare first half when Luke Ayling was sent off for a reckless two-footed lunge on Gabriel Martinelli.
Diego Llorente pulled a goal back in the second half, but Leeds dropped into the relegation zone as Arsenal strengthened their grip on fourth place with three games to play.
A North London derby win will guarantee them a place in the Champions League next season and the Spaniard is determined to make it mission accomplished in the home of their fierce rivals.
The Arsenal boss said: "We want to prepare and go for that match like we always do, with the same enthusiasm, but knowing obviously that this can be a defining moment and that’s an extra level of motivation and another layer for us to really go for it and I can't wait to play that game."
It appeared that Arsenal could run riot even before Whites captain Ayling was sent off and Arteta felt his side made hard work of securing three precious points two days after he signed a new contract.
Asked if they made seeing out the win more difficult than it ought to have been, he replied: "Yes, considering the way that we started I think we were electric, so determined, so incisive, we scored two good goals, created chances and didn’t allow anything to happen around our box.
"And after that, obviously, the red card presents a different match where they change completely their behaviour and how they set up and we have to manage the game in a different way.
"I think for a lot of phases we did well, but we needed to score the third goal and we had the chances to do so and then the accident happen when the first time that they were through at a set-piece we conceded a goal and it's game on and some nerves have to handled."
Arteta, who revealed Ben White is poised to return at Tottenham, says spirits are understandably high in the Arsenal dressing room but they know there is work to do.
"Really good, really positive, but at the same time really humble," he said of the mood in the camp. "We know that nothing has been achieved yet and still a lot of things and a lot of minutes to play to do what we want to achieve."
Frank Lampard saluted defiant goalkeeper Jordan Pickford as Everton climbed out of the Premier League bottom three.
England number one Pickford produced two fine saves to deny Leicester City's Harvey Barnes as Everton snatched a 2-1 win at the King Power Stadium to jump ahead of Leeds United and Burnley in the table.
Goals from Vitalii Mykolenko and Mason Holgate earned Everton a first away win in the league since August, boosting their hopes of preserving their top-flight status.
Manager Lampard, appointed at the end of January, has struggled at times to get a tune out of the squad he inherited from Rafael Benitez.
But Pickford is performing well just now, playing a key role in last week's win over Chelsea. Lampard welcomed the latest impressive efforts of the former Sunderland man, who made seven saves to limit Leicester to one goal from Patson Daka.
"He's in great form, and he's getting the recognition he rightly deserves in the last week," Lampard said.
"He did a couple of big saves for us. Everybody's important, but you need those moments and for those top-level players to produce, and he produces."
Ukrainian Mykolenko's sixth-minute volleyed opener was pleasing to Lampard, who praised the 22-year-old's attitude.
The Russian invasion of his homeland has inevitably been on Mykolenko's mind, but Lampard said the left-back has shown impressive focus on his football, too.
"I'm really pleased for him, he's been playing so well," Lampard told Sky Sports. "For all that's been going on for him at home, coming to the country and the Premier League and what's going on back home for him, he's dealt with it incredibly.
"It was great to get ourselves in front and get a nice feeling so early in the game."
Everton are far from safe yet, sitting just a point clear of Burnley and Leeds, who are 17th and 18th respectively, though the Toffees do also boast a game in hand.
"We're fighting together," said Lampard. "We created a lot of good chances, rode our luck at times. It's important to enjoy these moments but realise there's still a lot of work to be done."
Jesse Marsch vowed his Leeds United side will "fight for our lives" after dropping into the Premier League relegation zone with a 2-1 loss to Arsenal on Sunday.
Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier gifted Eddie Nketiah an early opener, and the Arsenal striker, who spent 2019-20 on loan at Elland Road, added a second with just 10 minutes played.
The visitors inflicted more damage on themselves after 27 minutes when Luke Ayling, making the 500th appearance of his career, was sent off for lunging in on Gabriel Martinelli.
Diego Llorente did manage to pull one back through Leeds' first effort on target in the 66th minute, but they were ultimately left with too much to do.
A second loss in a row for Leeds, coupled with Everton's 2-1 win at Leicester City, means they will end the day in the bottom three for the first time since October 30.
Leeds have spent 16 days in the relegation zone this – five fewer than Arsenal, who made a poor start to the season with three defeats in a row.
Marsch accepts Leeds were victims of their own mistakes at Emirates Stadium but is hopeful his side will respond in their remaining three fixtures.
"I think we had a really bad start and dug a hole for ourselves, which we didn't need to," Marsch, who succeeded Marcelo Bielsa in late February, told BBC Sport.
"At half-time we talked about keeping our composure and treating the game like it was 0-0. That's what we did.
"We are in a difficult situation. We have to regroup and figure out what we can do. Our backs are against the wall. We are in the relegation zone, but we have to fight for our lives.
"When I arrived two months ago I knew this wasn't going to be easy. The group's stayed strong. Our second-half performance highlights the character of the people we have.
"The fans and the support at this club is unreal. We want to put a performance on the pitch that honours that support."
With their 95th and 96th yellow cards of the season, Leeds set a record for the most bookings for a club in a single Premier League campaign.
They now host Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion in successive home games before travelling to Brentford on the final day of the season.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have won four successive league games while conceding at least once each time for the first time since a run of five in February and March 2012.
Following Tottenham's 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Saturday, the Gunners now hold a four-point lead over their fierce rivals in the battle for fourth place.
Should Arsenal make it five top-flight wins a row by beating Spurs on Thursday, they will secure a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2016-17.
"We know that, and we have earned the right to play that game in that context," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who signed a contract extension this week, told BBC Sport.
"Winning any match is extremely difficult. We are going to prepare for the game as best as we can.
"We started extremely well today and were determined, creating chance after chance. And then playing against 10 men it is always more complicated.
"We controlled the game really well. It became nervy, and you start to defend that result."
Eddie Nketiah was non-committal over his future after his double consigned 10-man Leeds United to a 2-1 defeat and moved Arsenal a step closer to qualifying for the Champions League.
Nketiah pounced on a howler from Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier to open the scoring and added a second goal only 10 minutes into the Premier League encounter at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Luke Ayling was sent off for a reckless lunge on Gabriel Martinelli just 27 minutes in, and although Diego Llorente pulled one back in the second half, his close-range strike was in vain.
A fourth win in a row moved the Gunners four points clear of fierce rivals Tottenham with three games to play in the battle for a top-four finish ahead of a huge north London derby on Thursday.
Nketiah is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, and the in-form striker, who has been linked with Crystal Palace, gave little away when asked about his future after plunging his former club Leeds into the relegation zone.
He told Sky Sports: "It's a great atmosphere throughout the whole season, it's been excellent.
"You really feel the connection between the players and the fans, it's amazing to be involved."
Nketiah's opportunities have been limited this season, but he has four goals in as many games after scoring twice in a recent victory at Chelsea.
The 22-year-old is relishing the chance to show what he is capable of as Mikel Arteta's side strive to seal a return to the premier club competition in Europe.
He said: "Any player just wants to be playing and get the opportunities. I've worked hard throughout the season to make sure that I was ready when I get my chance, and credit to my team-mates for helping me play and do well. I'm just happy in the team and helping."
Arsenal will be guaranteed a Champions League place if they beat Spurs in their own backyard, while Leeds are in the bottom three following Everton's 2-1 win at Leicester City.
Manchester United great Rio Ferdinand lamented the Red Devils for "downing tools" at Brighton and Hove Albion as he questioned the fight of his former side.
Ralf Rangnick's men were thumped 4-0 at the Amex Stadium on Saturday as Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Pascal Gross and Leandro Trossard were all on target for Graham Potter's dominant hosts.
Rangnick, who will be replaced by Erik ten Hag at the end of the season, apologised for the humiliating defeat, while Bruno Fernandes accepted United supporters' assessment that the players were "not fit to wear the shirt".
This is set to go down as United's worst season in the Premier League era, having conceded their most goals in a single campaign (56) and fallen short of their record low for points, sitting on 58, six fewer than their 2013-14 mark with only a game to play.
Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube podcast 'FIVE', heaped criticism on his old club as he expressed his dismay at United's situation.
"We are getting mocked every week," said Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles and a Champions League at United. "We have gone down to Brighton to the seaside for a day out.
"We got pumped and sent back home. There is no fight, there is no character, and it seems there is no desire. People have downed tools, it seems.
"We are getting smashed 4-0 at Brighton. Listen, they are a decent team, but United shouldn't be getting beat 4-0 like that.
"This is a terrible situation and I really wonder what it is like in that changing room.
"Is there anyone standing up? Are there any characters that are picking people up, or is everyone in there thinking that it has gone now? We have gone, and that is it."
Eddie Nketiah scored twice against his former club as Arsenal remained on course for the Champions League and plunged 10-man Leeds United into the relegation zone with a 2-1 win.
Nketiah capitalised on an Illan Meslier error to put the Gunners in front and added a second just 10 minutes into the Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Leeds suffered another massive blow when captain Luke Ayling marked the 500th appearance of his career by getting sent off for a reckless first-half lunge on Gabriel Martinelli with only 27 minutes played.
Diego Llorente pulled a goal back in the second half, but Arsenal moved four points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham and Jesse Marsch's side dropped into the bottom three after Everton won at Leicester City.
Meslier gifted Arsenal the lead in the fifth minute, taking a heavy touch from Ayling's back pass to present Nketiah with a tap-in.
Nketiah doubled the Gunners' advantage five minutes later, finishing clinically with his left foot from close to the penalty spot after the excellent Martinelli picked him out with a cutback from the byline.
A nightmare start for Leeds took another huge turn for the worse when Ayling was given his marching orders for a mindless challenge, referee Chris Kavanagh whipping out a red card following a VAR check after initially booking the defender.
Llorente cleared off the line late in the first half and Martinelli forced a save from Meslier following the restart before blazing over the crossbar, with Leeds on the ropes.
Arsenal were coasting, but Llorente gave Leeds a lifeline when Junior Firpo flicked on a corner from the left and Llorente was on hand to tuck home with his right foot at the back post.
Martin Odegaard spurned a chance to restore Arsenal's two-goal advantage when he cut inside and drilled a left-foot drive just wide, but Nketiah's double extended the Gunners' winning run to four games.
Gary Neville agreed with Jurgen Klopp's verdict on Tottenham under Antonio Conte, believing it shows the coach was not "the right fit" for Manchester United.
United have been linked with Conte on numerous occasions in recent seasons as they have moved from manager to manager since Alex Ferguson's retirement.
The Red Devils have not won the Premier League since Ferguson's final campaign in 2012-13, while Conte has claimed three league titles with three clubs in two countries over the same period.
Now he is seeking to guide Spurs back into the Champions League, frustrating Liverpool to earn a precious 1-1 draw at Anfield on Saturday.
But the manner in which Conte sets his teams up has been the source of some debate since that match, as Liverpool manager Klopp questioned the tactics employed by his opposite number afterwards. Tottenham had just 34.5 per cent of possession against Liverpool, relying on counter-attacking qualities.
"I don't like this kind of football," Klopp said. "But that's my personal problem. I think they're world class, and I think they should do more for the game."
Klopp has the backing of former United captain Neville, who shared a clip of the German's news conference on Twitter as he suggested Conte's style of football would not work at Old Trafford.
"I respect Conte and his football enormously, but this Klopp interview gives the clear reason why he wasn't the right fit for United," Neville wrote.
Former Liverpool man Jamie Carragher, Neville's Sky Sports colleague, replied with evidence of the ex-United man calling for the appointment of Diego Simeone, the Atletico Madrid coach whose tactics might also be considered negative.
But Neville insisted Conte and Simeone were not comparable, suggesting the Atletico boss would work well at United.
"Simeone 4-4-2 aggressive style. Proper United that," Neville responded. "Conte wing backs? No..."
Royal Challengers Bangalore secured a routine victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday, with captain Faf du Plessis and Wanindu Hasaranga playing a big part.
The South African batted through his team's 20 overs, scoring 73 from 50 balls as RCB set their opponents a target of 193.
Opposite number Kane Williamson marched back to the pavilion without facing a ball, which set the tone as Sunrisers were bowled all out for 125, with Hasaranga taking 5-18.
Having won five of their first seven matches this season, Sunrisers have now lost their last four outings.
Things could not have started better for them as Jagadeesha Suchith claimed the wicket of Virat Kohli with the first ball of the match, but Du Plessis and Rajat Patidar (48) put on a partnership of 105 to rescue the innings.
Glenn Maxwell's 33 helped RCB tick along, before Dinesh Karthik came in with some fireworks at the end of the innings, hitting 30 from just eight balls, including three sixes and a four from the final four balls.
It was a disastrous start for Sunrisers, with Williamson run out without facing a ball, before fellow opener Abhishek Sharma was also dismissed without scoring by Maxwell.
Rahul Tripathi's 58 from 37 balls was the only real fight put up by Sunrisers, with Aiden Markram (21) and Nicholas Pooran (19) the only other batsmen to make double figures.
Hasaranga and Josh Hazlewood's economical bowling ensured there was never a question of who was going to win here, and Harshal Patel wrapped up the 67-run victory after dismissing Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
A captain's innings
Karthik may get some headlines after his explosive efforts in the final over, but Du Plessis was the spine of his team's innings, playing the entire 20 overs and setting the table for the win with his eight fours and two sixes.
Hasaranga and Hazlewood shine
Hasaranga was deadly with his four overs, taking out the middle order with exceptional ruthlessness, while Hazlewood was even more economical with his 2-17 from four overs.
It could have been even better for the Australian, who conceded seven of those runs in his final over to a nothing-to-lose attitude from 11th wicket partnership, Kumar and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Nantes captain Ludovic Blas said he "was taken for a madman" after insisting the club had a good team last year, but had the last laugh after lifting the Coupe de France on Saturday.
La Maison Jaune beat Nice 1-0 in the final at the Stade de France thanks to Blas' penalty early in the second half.
The 24-year-old midfielder emphatically drilled home his spot-kick after Hicham Boudaoui handled and that was enough for Nantes to win their first major trophy for 21 years, marking the fourth time the club has lifted the Coupe de France.
It has been quite the comeback story for Nantes, who only avoided slipping down to Ligue 2 last season after beating Toulouse on away goals in the relegation playoff.
“Last year, I persisted in saying that we had a good team. I persisted," Blas said after lifting the cup. "I was just saying that, and we had talented players. I was taken for a madman.
"Now, I would like people to remember that, and not take me for a fool. Frankly, it's the most beautiful thing that could happen. Being this close to going down to Ligue 2, and winning the Coupe de France shows that I really wasn't wrong about this team."
Nantes boss Antoine Kombouare was just as impressed by what he had witnessed, also referencing the journey from nearly being relegated to sealing a place in European football next season.
"We had to stay strong, despite the pressure of what was at stake, we had come from nowhere," he told reporters after the game. "A year ago, we could die and end up in Ligue 2, and here we won the Coupe de France and we will play the Europa League.
"I was reminded that we [are] going to play the Trophee des Champions. Can you imagine the difference? It's hard to believe. It is something exceptional, unique, almost miraculous."
Kombouare also revealed a conversation he had when he gave Blas the captaincy, with the player appearing to predict the future.
"I'm going to tell you a secret," he said. "During the first match at Sochaux, I gave him the armband in the locker room just before going to warm up, and he immediately said to me: 'Coach, I'm very proud, I will take us to the Stade de France and I will lift the Coupe de France'. I was a prisoner of these words."
Former India cricketer turned analyst, Aakash Chopra, does not believe India Premier League (IPL) club Mumbai Indians will play West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard again for the rest of the season.
The 34-year-old big-hitter has had a difficult campaign to date for the many-time IPL champions, who have themselves struggled to make an impact. With only two wins and eight losses in 10 games, the five-time title winners are rooted at the bottom of the IPL table.
In ten matches so far in IPL 2022, Pollard has struggled to score just 129 runs at an abysmal average of 14.33 and a strike rate of just 109.32. Pollard has been a loyal servant to the Mumbai franchise and despite it being the only IPL club that he has ever represented, since making his debut in 2010, Chopra believes the club is likely to take a chance with young South African Dewald Brevis. Brevis has scored 124 runs in six games but has an incredible strike rate of 155.
“I feel Kieron Pollard will not play any further this year, that's it, they won't play him anymore because Dewald Brevis is sitting outside and Tim David is doing well," Chopra said via his YouTube channel.
"Don't know why they didn't play a punt on Tim David earlier. They had kept this six-hitting machine sitting outside for a long time. Now they have remembered that they should play him and he has not disappointed them even once since they have played him.”
Daniel Sturridge has issued a rallying cry to his former club Liverpool after they dropped points in the Premier League title race.
The Reds were held to a 1-1 draw by Tottenham at Anfield on Saturday, giving rivals Manchester City a boost ahead of their clash with Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Should City win, they will go three points ahead of Liverpool with three games remaining.
Sturridge – who played for both teams either side of a spell at Chelsea – took to Twitter on Sunday to share his belief that "all isn't lost" for Jurgen Klopp's side.
Despite the setback in their title push, Liverpool still have Champions League and FA Cup finals to look forward to, having already secured the EFL Cup in February.
"To all the red men out there. All isn't lost," Sturridge wrote. "Big games ahead, a lot to play for. An unbelievable squad, backroom staff and ownership intact.
"The club has improved immensely in the last 10 years. My optimism for what @LFC are and will become hasn't wavered. #redordead"
The former England international played 160 games for Liverpool between 2013 and 2019, scoring 67 goals and registering 20 assists.
He left Anfield to sign for Trabzonspor before moving to Australia with Perth Glory.
The draw with Spurs was only the third time Liverpool have dropped points in a Premier League game since the turn of the year, and was the first time they have failed to win at home in the league since a 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion in October.
The winning owner of Rich Strike asked "What planet is this?" after the 80/1 shot produced one of the biggest Kentucky Derby shocks at Churchill Downs.
Rich Strike was only added to the 20-horse field on the eve of one of the most prestigious races in the world after Ethereal Road withdrew and went off as the biggest long shot.
Bought for only $30,000 last October and with only one win in seven outings, the rank outsider was expected to be an also-ran.
Yet the Eric Reed-trained Rich Strike bolted up on the inside with a blistering burst under Sonny Leon to become the second-biggest priced winner in the history of the Kentucky Derby.
Rick Dawson, owner of Rich Strike, could not believe what he had seen as a massive crowd of 147,294 caught their breath following a stunning upset.
"What planet is this? I feel like I have been propelled somewhere. I'm not sure," Dawson told Bloodhorse.
"This is unbelievable. I asked my trainer up on the stage, I said, ''Are you sure this is not a dream? Because it can't be true.' He assured me this is real."
Trainer Reed was also in dreamland after such an unlikely success on the big stage.
"I don't know how [to put the win into words]," Reed said. "I fell down in the paddock when he hit the wire. I about passed out. I'm so happy.
"This is something, you know, is the reason everybody does this, because we're not supposed to be here, but I knew this horse loved the track, and we've been training so good all year."
Jockey Leon was not entirely surprised as he worked his way through the field to cross the line first.
"I didn't know if he could win but I had a good feeling with him," Leon told Bloodhorse. "I had to wait until the stretch, and that's what I did. I waited, and then the rail opened up.
"I wasn't nervous. I was excited. Nobody knows my horse like I know my horse."
Floyd Mayweather was celebrating another Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez defeat in Las Vegas on Saturday after Dmitry Bivol's victory earned him $42,500.
Russian Bivol retained his WBA light heavyweight title at the T-Mobile Arena, claiming the scalp of the Mexican superstar with a unanimous decision victory.
Super-middleweight king Canelo suffered only the second loss of his illustrious career stepping up in weight, with all three judges scoring the bout at 115-113 in favour of Bivol.
Mayweather consigned Canelo, rated as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, to the only other defeat of his professional career at the T-Mobile Arena nine years ago.
The retired American legend cashed in on the 31-year-old's second defeat, placing a $10,000 bet on Bivol to come out on top for a return of $52,500.
Mayweather posted a picture of his winning betting slip on Instagram and wrote: "Easy pick up."
Alvarez confirmed he would exercise his rematch clause.
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez accepted the result of his unanimous decision defeat to Dmitry Bivol, hailing his opponent as a "great champion" after just the second loss of his career.
The Mexican came up short of claiming the WBA light heavyweight title in Las Vegas on Saturday against the Russian, who won 115-113 on all three scorecards after a 12-round bout.
His only other defeat in 61 fights coming against Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2013, Alvarez was left in an unfamiliar position.
But speaking afterwards, the 31-year-old was congratulatory of Bivol, while vowing to bounce back even stronger down the line.
"You have to accept it, it's boxing," Alvarez said. "He's a great champion. Sometimes in boxing you win and lose and I'm not giving excuses. I lost and he won."
On the possibility of whether he desired a rematch, he added: "Yeah, of course I do. "This doesn't end like this."
"This doesn't end in this way, I'm a very competitive person, I've got many years ahead of me, and I'm gonna come back stronger.
“We want the rematch, and we want to do much better in the rematch. I'm very proud and competitive. I've gone up and fought at 175lbs.
"I've gone out of my comfort zone to fight at a weight that's not mine, there's no shame in that. I'm looking for challenges that others would be scared to take on because they might lose.”
Alvarez's loss means he now moves to 57-2-2, while Bivol extends his unbeaten record to 20-0.
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