The cinch Premiership returned after the international break and as usual there was plenty of drama and excitement.
Celtic surprisingly dropped two points at home to Motherwell on Saturday but Rangers failed to capitalise at Aberdeen, depending on a late James Tavernier penalty for a 1-1 draw, leaving the Hoops still eight points clear at the top albeit the Light Blues have a game in hand.
Hearts, St Mirren and Hibernian all won and Livingston remain bottom after another defeat.
Here, the PA news agency looks at five things that caught the eye.
Rangers blow chance to move closer to Celtic
Skipper James Tavernier scored a last-gasp penalty to give Rangers a 1-1 draw with Aberdeen at Pittodrie but it was an afternoon when the chance to boost title hopes was passed up. The visitors fell behind after just 11 minutes to a Bojan Miovski strike and hit the woodwork twice after the break. But just when it looked like Philippe Clement would lose for the first time as Gers boss, there was a VAR intervention. After checking his pitchside monitor, referee Nick Walsh decided Aberdeen’s Stefan Garternmann had pulled Connor Goldson’s jersey at a corner and pointed to the spot. Tavernier scored for a point which keeps Celtic eight points clear at the top having played a game more.
Hoops pay the penalty
David Turnbull slotted home an 86th-minute spot-kick to open the scoring against Motherwell but Luis Palma had earlier become the third Celtic player to miss a penalty this season, following Reo Hatate and Turnbull after Liam Kelly saved his effort. However, Motherwell quickly levelled through Jon Obika following Turnbull’s goal. Brendan Rodgers admitted he had identified issues with Celtic’s penalties after they missed three last season and the issues from 12 yards could prove costly.
Lawrence Shankland’s purple patch continues
Just over a month ago, Lawrence Shankland was on an eight-game scoring drought. Things have changed significantly for the Hearts striker over the past month or so, however, to the extent where he is capable of scoring even when he does not know much about it – as was the case in Saturday’s 1-0 win over St Johnstone. Liam Boyce’s well-executed shot appeared to be netbound anyway but it deflected off Shankland’s leg on the way in and was subsequently credited to the Scotland forward. Shankland now has 11 goals for the season at club level, with six strikes in his last six outings for Hearts.
Livingston are on the slide
David Martindale’s side are bottom of the table, one point behind St Johnstone and Ross County, following their sixth successive defeat. Sean Kelly’s first-half own goal gave all three points to hosts St Mirren and Livi have now failed to score in five or their last six games. They have three home games coming up, against Ross County, Hibernian and Kilmarnock, to try to get their season back on track.
No win for Derek Adams on Ross County return
Adams this week returned to the Staggies’ hot-seat for the third time, following the departure of Malky Mackay. His first game was against Kilmarnock at home but there was no new manager bounce. Killie had yet to win on the road and once again came up short, having to settle for a point from a goalless draw. The Dingwall outfit have gone 10 games without a win in all competitions and have not scored in the last three. Adams has his work cut out to get County back to form.
‘We will give him an honorary card’ - Sartini hoping for heavenly presence in playoff decider
Vanni Sartini opened his arms to an unlikely addition to the Vancouver Whitecaps’ fanbase in their deciding fixture against Los Angeles FC in the MLS playoffs.
In the Whitecaps’ wild card match against the Portland Timbers, a game they won 5-0, opposition manager Phil Neville believed that God was on his side after the game was played at Providence Park, despite Vancouver finishing higher in the Western Conference.
Sartini explained after the result that he did not believe in God but said he would be a welcome Whitecaps supporter in their must-win encounter at the BMO Stadium.
“I don’t know. After last time when I said that I don’t think he exists, I don’t know if he wants to become part of the Whitecaps, but if he does, we will give him an honorary card,” Sartini said.
The Whitecaps forced a deciding game in their best-of-three series after beating LAFC 3-0 at BC Place, the only tie to go the distance in the West.
Vancouvers’ postseason form has seen them play some of their best football this term, and Sartini is hoping for that to continue.
“We had a run in the late summer, and we were playing really well, and we have achieved that same level, and it’s the level of a top four team to be honest,” Sartini added.
“The three games, we knew that the conditions were going to be back, and we knew we were gearing towards the playoffs with all the players arriving and ready to go.
“I know that we will play a good game in Los Angeles, we will. If we win, I don’t know. We will honour this playoff run.”
LAFC, meanwhile, will be aiming to avenge their defeat in Game 2, hoping not to become the second high-profile casualty in the playoffs after the Columbus Crew were eliminated by the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference bracket.
Ryan Gauld opened the scoring in the 10th minute before two own-goals either side of half-time from Ryan Hollingshead and Eddie Segura sealed the win for Vancouver.
LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo bemoaned his side’s slow start to proceedings after finding themselves two goals down inside 13 minutes and is looking to rectify that on home turf this time around.
“If you go back to the 11 games that we lost this season, it has always been the crucial moments at the beginning of the half where we make mental lapses and errors,” Cherundolo said.
“It was a little sloppy mentally and tactically in those moments and that is just not good enough to win games. Against Vancouver, it is difficult because they are a team full of energy.
“They almost always capitalise on opponents’ mistakes, and they did against us. We have nothing to blame but ourselves and we will look to correct those errors in training.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LAFC – Denis Bouanga
Despite not finding the back of the net in Game 2, Bouanga will be hoping to get himself back among the goals against one of his favoured opponents in the MLS.
He has recorded at least one goal contribution in all five home matches he’s played against Vancouver in all competitions, totalling four goals and four assists over the five matches.
Vancouver Whitecaps – Ryan Gauld
Gauld has scored in four straight matches for the Whitecaps going back to the end of the regular season, including a goal during his side’s victory in Game 2.
The only Whitecaps player to score in five straight MLS matches (regular season and playoffs) is Camilo Sanvezzo between June and July 2013.
MATCH PREDICTION: LAFC WIN
While the series is level heading into the decider, it is LAFC who are predicted to emerge victorious according to Opta’s data-led simulations.
However, their seven-match winning streak in all competitions ended with the loss to Vancouver in Game 2. LAFC have not lost consecutive matches in over a year, since a three-match losing run between August and September 2023.
Vancouver’s 3-0 win last time out ended an eight-match winless run in the best-of-three series. (D2 L6). They have managed only one win in 12 all-time away matches against LAFC (D4 L7) but did beat the Black and Gold in a penalty shootout at BMO Stadium in the Leagues Cup this year.
The Whitecaps’ triumph in Game 2 was their third all-time playoff victory (D2 L8). In those three wins, the Whitecaps have outscored opponents, 13-0, while being outscored 19-6, in their other 10 postseason contests.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
LAFC – 63.1%
Draw – 19.6%
Vancouver Whitecaps – 17.3%
'Disappointed' Parker laments disallowed goal in West Brom stalemate
Burnley head coach Scott Parker was left "disappointed" with officials after Jaidon Anthony saw his goal ruled out in their goalless draw with West Brom on Thursday.
The Clarets are now without a win in their last four Championship games, while also failing to score in their last three fixtures in the division.
Anthony, however, thought he had put Burnley ahead in the 59th minute when he headed Lucas Pires' delivery to the back post beyond Alex Palmer.
But referee Tom Nield felt the Burnley winger had pushed Callum Styles in an attempt to reach the ball, thus disallowing the goal, much to the frustration of Parker.
"I've watched it back again - it's a goal. It's a valid goal and disappointing the ref has decided to give that decision," Parker told Sky Sports.
"There's a little hand but nothing to influence the player too much.
"Overall we looked very good, good value. At this present moment the chances are not going in (but) overall today the attacking threat was more positive.
"I am really encouraged by that. It's a young team, in a process."
Anthony also gave his version of events at full-time, echoing the comments made my his manager.
"Yeah frustrating, at the time I didn’t think it was a foul. The defender didn’t seem to complain either," Anthony added.
"I want to score more, I don’t really get too many headers, it felt good going in, I turned around and it was a heartbreaking moment to see it ruled out.
"We haven’t created enough in the past games, but today I felt like we had chances."
Carlos Corberan, unsurprisingly, shared a different view of the incident.
"From my point of view from the bench it was a foul," the West Brom boss said. "In general as a team we were good in the first half and we created some opportunities.
"In the second half they were better than us until the last third of it. They were more compact than us and we struggled to create chances."
West Brom have now drawn their last six games in the Championship, with Thursday's stalemate their third straight draw without a goal at the Hawthorns.
And the Baggies struggled again to find that clinical edge in the final third, registering just one shot on target from the 11 efforts they managed against Burnley.
Despite the result, West Brom moved up to fifth in the table, while Burnley remained in fourth, but the Clarets are now four points behind the automatic promotion places.
Maresca thrilled with 'serious' Chelsea after Conference League romp
Enzo Maresca was thrilled with the "serious" performance Chelsea put in during their 8-0 drubbing of Armenian minnows Noah in the Europa Conference League.
Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku scored twice at Stamford Bridge, while Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Axel Disasi and Mykhailo Mudryk also got themselves on the scoresheet.
The Blues were six goals to the good by half-time, the biggest advantage by an English side at the break of a major European game since Derby County were winning 9-0 against Finn Harps in the 1976-77 UEFA Cup.
Chelsea are also top of the 36-team league table on goal difference, having scored 16 times in their three matches in the competition so far.
Maresca was impressed by the way his side ensured there was no slacking against evidently inferior opposition.
"I think the players showed how professional and serious they are. It is very easy to sleep in these kind of games," Maresca said after the game.
"Football is full of surprises. It was to show how serious we are, how professional. They showed that and it's an important message for all of us.
"In the first five minutes, we conceded a chance. You have to be focused. The way to show respect to them, don't underestimate them.
"Football is full of these kind of surprises. We don't need that."
Speaking to TNT Sports, Maresca was especially pleased considering he once again made wholesale changes from the side ordinarily seen in the Premier League.
"Very impressed, especially because we are trying to change players every game. It works well," he added.
"We have good players, and we want them to get minutes. Some of them play in the conference, some in the Premier League, but all of them want to play every game."
The Stamford Bridge faithful could be heard chanting 'we want 10' during the game, but centre-back Adarabioyo was equally delighted with the clean sheet.
"I didn't [know fans were chanting 'we want 10']. Didn't manage 10 but a great result," he told TNT Sports.
"Concentration is key to make sure we have the clean sheet at the end of the game and we managed to do so. I've been thinking I needed a goal soon, so very happy to get one.
"Never take your foot off the gas. We just kept going. Set out for the clean sheet and we managed to get that. We haven't had one for a while."
Up next for Chelsea is a return to Premier League action, hoping to carry the momentum for their convincing triumph against an out of sorts Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
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