Pep Guardiola labelled forwards Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez an “incredible weapon” after the pair struck during a gritty 2-1 win at Fulham which returned Manchester City to the Premier League summit.

The champions had not been top since February 17 and were made to work hard to move above Arsenal by a determined Fulham side.

Marco Silva’s men showed their resilience after Haaland scored his 50th goal of the season from a spot-kick to give City the lead after just three minutes.

The Cottagers found a leveller through Carlos Vinicius, but it was a touch of class from Alvarez, who restored the visitors’ advantage in the first half – a strike that eventually secured all three points for Guardiola’s men.

The City manager praised his strike partnership, with Haaland taking his tally of league goals to a record-equalling 34 (alongside Alan Shearer and Andy Cole) for the most scored in a single Premier League season.

“I was really impressed that he took the penalty with the mentality that he has, strong and another goal helps us with Julian,” Guardiola said.

“Julian all the time helps us, he’s incredible, every time he plays he gives us everything.

“Quality goals and assists. Today with the penalty assist from Riyad (Mahrez) and after he has done so… we have two strikers when we need people in the box.

“These two guys are an incredible weapon that we have.”

World Cup-winner Alvarez has found opportunities somewhat limited this season, but Guardiola hinted he might find a way to play both the 23-year-old and Haaland.

“If you play almost all the games to be world champions for Argentina. He has something unique,” he said.

“But it has been a lot to understand that maybe in the future there can be something to make them both play. Especially in tight games.”

Fulham were dealt a blow for the remainder of their season, with injuries to Tim Ream and Andreas Pereira.

Ream has played every minute of Fulham’s Premier League campaign until he was forced off, while Pereira has been a key man since joining in the summer from Manchester United.

“Always difficult to take when you get the defeat,” Silva said. “It was what’s happened this afternoon.

“But the first thing is to mention that the worst thing that happened was not the result but the injuries to two players.

“Unfortunately for us it looks like serious situations in both cases.

“Tim Ream is probably not playing anymore this season and has broken his arm, let’s hope Andreas Pereira is not so serious.

“This is the worst thing, because after Mitrovic (serving an eight-game suspension) and the injury of Willian, with a small squad like we have it’s really tough to take.”

Eddie Howe saluted game-changer Callum Wilson after seeing him come off the bench to fire Newcastle ever-closer to Champions League qualification.

The 31-year-old England striker was left out of the starting line-up despite scoring twice at Everton on Thursday evening, but took full advantage of his introduction at the start of the second half to help himself to another double as the Magpies turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 win.

In the process, Wilson reached 15 goals for the season to remind onlookers that record signing Alexander Isak is not the only player who can put opposition defenders to the sword.

Head coach Howe said: “Callum was exceptional – he changed the game for us.

“First and foremost, he comes on with the right attitude, as he always does. He’s got that desire to score, for the team and for himself as well, and he could have had a hat-trick. It was an outstanding display from Callum.”

For the second time this season, Wilson found himself named only among the substitutes after scoring a brace – a fate also suffered by Isak and Jacob Murphy in recent weeks – although Howe insisted he had not been banging on his door to ask him why.

He said: “We’ve had discussions and talks, but there’s been no bending the ear.

“I know he’s desperate to play every minute of every game, but I do think I have a duty to manage him as well and make sure that he stays fit for as long as possible because when he is fit and playing and doing what he did today, I don’t think there’s anyone better.

“I’m delighted for him, and it obviously gives me food for thought as we go through the last five games.

“In a three-game week previously, Callum would probably have played every game – and every minute of every game – and that might have meant he picked up an injury, so we can manage him carefully.

“But what I would say is that in times where he has been managed, his attitude has been absolutely first-class. That’s why he’s able to perform as he has.”

Meanwhile, Howe revealed that X-rays have confirmed midfielder Sean Longstaff did not suffer a foot fracture at Everton and could yet play again this season.

The victory – Newcastle’s eighth in nine Premier League outings – kept them in third place, two points clear of Manchester United who have a game in hand, with time running out fast for the chasing pack.

It was secured in starkly different fashion to those over Tottenham and Everton in the past week, with Stuart Armstrong stunning the home crowd with a 41st-minute opener before Wilson intervened either side of substitute Theo Walcott’s own goal.

The Saints were more than in the game at the break but succumbed tamely after it to leave boss Ruben Selles wounded, but defiant.

He said: “I’m very positive. We’re still alive, it’s still six points. I’m going to go to try to win the next four games, as I have been trying to do in every single game since I took the team.

“My chances are still there and I’m going to grab every single percentage of that. I know it’s low, but I’m going to fight until the very end of the season.”

John Lundstram admits Rangers cannot endure another season of frustration like this one after their last chance of silverware disappeared with a 1-0 Scottish Cup semi-final defeat against Celtic.

The Light Blues, who went into the game at Hampden Park as cup holders, were punished just before the break for failing to play to the whistle, with Daizen Maeda crossing for Jota to head in the only goal of the game.

Rangers have failed to beat their Old Firm rivals in their last six meetings and effectively the Hoops need only beat Championship side Inverness in the June 3 final to complete the domestic treble.

Midfielder Lundstram said: “We’re disappointed. I thought we played really well for large spells of the game.

“But we’ve just got to find that bit of quality in the final third and at the other end mistakes let us down again.

“The ball is still in play and the ref hasn’t blown his whistle. We’ve got to play to the whistle. It’s our mistake again. That’s disappointing.

“It’s frustrating for everyone but going forward into next season we’ve really, really got to nail it down because we can’t have another season like this season.

“We all want to win, we all want to do the right things, of course we do. But decision-making at times has got to be better.

“It’s let us down, not just today but on numerous occasions. All the lads have got to rally round and have a big, big push now for the start of the season.”

Lundstram insists there is belief in the dressing room that they can beat Celtic and they will get another chance when they host the Hoops in the final Old Firm league game at Ibrox in two weeks’ time.

He said: “You saw out there that there was a belief. We were the better team for large spells.

“We had one cleared off the line, hit the post, missed an open goal with Fashion (Sakala).

“So the belief is there but it’s just the fine margins. They are getting the fine margins better at the minute.

“At the end of the day we’ve got to finish those chances that we created.

“We’re getting in the right positions, it’s just not falling for us. It’s just frustrating for us at the minute and it’s still raw for me.

“Going forward, we need to start winning these Old Firm games. It’s no secret.

“Just really disappointed but of course going into the next one, those fine margins I’ve just spoken about, we can get them in our favour.”

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag says Bruno Fernandes’ match-winning display against Aston Villa highlighted just how “crazy” the recent debate about his captaincy was.

The Red Devils strengthened their grip on a Champions League spot on Sunday, when the 28-year-old’s first-half strike proved enough to seal a 1-0 win at Old Trafford.

It was the latest in a long line of impressive displays by Fernandes, who somehow recovered from sustaining an ankle complaint in last Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Brighton to play on Thursday.

Ten Hag heaped praised on the Portugal international after that 2-2 draw at Tottenham, calling him an “inspiration” and an example team-mates must follow.

The United boss offered similarly fulsome praise on Sunday and pointed out how laughable talk about his suitability for the captaincy was following the 7-0 loss at Liverpool.

Asked what it says about Fernandes’ resilience to be playing like he is a week on from that ankle knock, Ten Hag said: “A lot. I emphasise it all on Thursday in London.

“He’s so tough. A couple of weeks ago there was questions about his captaincy. It’s crazy because he’s such a big leader, by example.

“He gives so much energy to the team besides his smartness.

“But also his determination, his passion and his resilience, so I think we as a team are so happy.

“We need such players if you want to win games, if you want to win trophies.”

Ten Hag says “it’s a pleasure to work with players like” Fernandes, who skippered the side again with Harry Maguire on the bench and fired United to a victory that keeps them well placed for Champions League qualification.

“We have to keep going from game to game, but I think this is a brilliant week for us,” the Dutchman said.

“When you’re in the semi-final in a tough game against a good opponent (Brighton) as we have seen in the week, we played a very good game and get through to the final.

“Then Tottenham, in first half we played very well and today we play in two halves, I think, an impressive game, so big credit to the team.”

United head to Brighton on Thursday night looking to maintain momentum, while Villa have the chance to bounce back from a first loss in 10 weeks at Wolves on Saturday.

Emery’s men end the weekend seventh in the standings and the four-time Europa League winner is not giving up on continental qualification.

“It’s more difficult when you are trying to be in the top 10,” the Villa boss said.

“But it’s really difficult when you want to be in the European positions because you have to win and to win and to win.

“We were doing that but now we have to do it again. That is the more difficult step ahead that we have but we deserve it.

“Today against Manchester United we didn’t play as competitive as we have done in other matches.

“It could be because Manchester United is difficult and controlled the game.

“If we are defending more the attacking moments are more difficult.

“We didn’t play good in the first half and we were defending more. It was not enough. The performance in the second half was better.”

Celtic attacker Jota claims “smart” play led to his winning goal against Rangers which set up a Scottish Cup final meeting with Inverness.

There was little between the Old Firm rivals in a pulsating semi-final at Hampden Park until the Light Blues inexplicably switched off just before the break when referee Don Robertson took no action after Gers midfielder Nicolas Raskin challenged Matt O’Riley on the edge of the box.

Japan attacker Daizen Maeda took possession of the loose ball and swiftly crossed for Jota to bullet a header past Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregor which was enough to send Ange Postecoglou’s side to the June 3 final at the national stadium.

The Portuguese forward said: “We aim to be always good in every moment of the game and you need to be focused because there is always mistakes.

“Football is made of mistakes and you need to be able to understand when to take advantage of that and just be smart.

“Football is about that and when you have the opportunity, if you have the talent and if you are ruthless you get the opportunity to score and today was no different.

“Every game is different. As long as I can help the team achieve their goals, I will be happy, if I score or don’t score.

“To be in the right place at the right time inside the box is something we work a lot on and it is just a question of setting the moment. It felt like that could be a chance for me and I took it.”

The Viaplay Cup holders are one victory away from retaining the cinch Premiership title with Championship side Inverness standing in the way of domestic treble and Jota believes the clean sweep would be “amazing.”

He said: “If we keep on winning every game until the end then we are in a very good position of achieving amazing things and we aim for that.

“As a Celtic player in this group, we always aim for these trophies but in order to achieve that we have to work really hard from the start of the season.

“This one is no different. This is the final push and we have to go strong.”

Javi Gracia has admitted something must change after Leeds saw their survival hopes take a huge blow after a damaging 4-1 loss at Bournemouth.

Gracia watched his team lose for a fourth time in five matches and while they remain 16th in the Premier League, they face Manchester City and Newcastle over the next fortnight with only a point cushion to the relegation zone.

Patrick Bamford’s first-half header proved a mere consolation at the Vitality Stadium in the end with under-fire goalkeeper Illan Meslier at fault for two Bournemouth goals and a tactical tweak to a 5-2-3 failing to pay off for the former Watford boss.

“Of course, if we concede the mistakes we are conceding in all the games, it is difficult to compete well and to get the results we need. We have to be more consistent in defending, attacking more aggressively. If we don’t do that, it will be difficult to get the points we need,” Gracia conceded.

“I don’t like to speak much about our situation on the table or that but in this moment we are not in relegation (zone).

“Of course, we have now tough games and we have to be ready for that. We need to keep our mentality and try to believe we can do it.

“Above all, try to work hard these next days and try to prepare for the next game. It is the only way I know to improve the situation.

“You know when I arrived, the situation was even worse and now, of course, the last results are tough for all of us but we have to change this dynamic and we have four games to do it.”

When Gracia was asked if he still had the backing of the board, who only appointed the Spaniard on February 21, he provided a lacklustre answer that followed a similar defensively showing from his out-of-form side.

The 52-year-old did insist, however, that his players have the character to stay up despite Jefferson Lerma’s first-half brace, a sixth goal of the season for Dominic Solanke and Antoine Semenyo’s maiden Bournemouth strike increasing the pressure on Leeds.

“If I am here, I suppose,” Gracia replied when quizzed on the trust of the Leeds board.

“You need character and other values but I think my players have them.

“From half-time against Palace (5-1 defeat), everything changed and then we have to find a way to recover our level and we have to do it as soon as possible because there are only four games left.”

Leeds supporters initially vented their frustration at sporting director Victor Orta and the board during their 18th defeat of a tough campaign, but by the end of the 4-1 reverse their anger had turned to the players.

Gracia insisted: “I think Leeds supporters are always with the team. That is what I feel from my arrival.

“Of course, they prefer to be in another situation like all of us but in this moment, I think they expect to see their team play better and winning than listening to many words.”

Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil was delighted to see his side virtually secure safety but admitted there would be no lavish celebrations in his household.

“Yeah, 39 points from 34 games is a big effort,” the Cherries’ rookie manager said.

“Today is relief that we put in a big performance and achieved what I think is Premier League safety, so I will enjoy this evening with the family.

“I was in A&E last night with my youngest daughter. She had an accident, nothing serious, so get home and see how she is.

“Probably spend the evening in the lounge with maybe a beer, a tea, some chocolate. There are some Easter eggs left.

“Yeah, I will just enjoy it with them. I want to spend some time with the people who have supported me. They’ve seen some dark evenings in the O’Neil house, so let’s enjoy this one with them.”

Erling Haaland equalled the record for goals in a Premier League season as he scored an early penalty in Manchester City’s 2-1 win at Fulham.

His feat is even more impressive as the record of 34 was set in the league’s early 42-game seasons by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer – here, the PA news agency looks at how Haaland compares.

Appearances: 40
Goals: 34
Assists: 13

Cole scored only once in the first four games but got 15 in the next 12, including all the goals in a 3-0 win over Liverpool and doubles against Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham and Oldham.

Another hat-trick against Coventry and a standout performance in the return game with the Hammers, with a goal and three assists in a 4-2 win, were further highlights of his season. His 13 assists also led the Premier League as Newcastle finished third, making him the only man until Harry Kane in 2020-21 to top both charts outright.

Appearances: 42
Goals: 34
Assists: 13

Shearer was ever-present as he equalled Cole’s record and led Blackburn to the title – like Cole, completing his tally with a goal on the final day of the season. He scored three hat-tricks – all in 3-0 wins at Ewood Park, against QPR, West Ham and Ipswich – and four doubles in his second of three straight 30-goal seasons.

He matched Cole’s assists tally as well, ranking third in the top flight as he and strike partner Chris Sutton combined to set each other up on 13 occasions, a record broken by Kane two years ago in tandem with Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min.

Appearances: 30
Goals: 34
Assists: 7

Haaland wasted no time making his mark in the Premier League – scoring two goals on his debut against West Ham, a record nine in his first five games and 15 in nine. He has four hat-tricks to his name and one more will equal Shearer’s record of five in a season set in his 31-goal 1995-96 campaign.

The record-equalling penalty at Craven Cottage brought up his half-century in all competitions, having scored 12 goals in eight Champions League appearances and four in the domestic cups.

His league assist tally, though in single figures, still ranks joint-sixth in the top flight this season, defying scrutiny of his perceived one-dimensional role in Pep Guardiola’s side.

Haaland began hauling in previous Golden Boot-winning tallies as early as November 5 after 18 goals in his first 12 games.

The 23-goal mark that has won the last three awards lasted only until January’s hat-trick against Wolves, which accounted for nine previous Golden Boot seasons in all, while he matched Mohamed Salah’s 38-game record of 32 in just 28 appearances.

18 goals – Michael Owen, Dion Dublin and Chris Sutton 1997-98; Owen, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Dwight Yorke 1998-99
Appearances: 12
v Fulham (H), November 5

19 – Nicolas Anelka 2008-09
Appearances: 14
v Leeds (A), December 28

20 – Didier Drogba 2006-07; Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez 2010-11
Appearances: 14
v Leeds (A), December 28

22 – Teddy Sheringham 1992-93; Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 2018-19
Appearances: 18
v Tottenham (H), January 19

23 – Hasselbaink 2000-01; Jamie Vardy 2019-20; Harry Kane 2020-21; Salah and Son Heung-min 2021-22
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22

24 – Thierry Henry 2001-02
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22

25 – Alan Shearer 1996-97; Ruud van Nistelrooy 2002-03; Henry 2004-05; Kane 2015-16
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22

26 – Robin van Persie 2012-13; Sergio Aguero 2014-15
Appearances: 22
v Arsenal (A), February 15

27 – Henry 2005-06
Appearances: 24
v Bournemouth (A), February 25

29 – Drogba 2009-10; Kane 2016-17
Appearances: 27
v Southampton (A), April 8

30 – Kevin Phillips 1999-2000; Henry 2003-04; Van Persie 2011-12
Appearances: 27
v Southampton (A), April 8

31 – Shearer 1995-96; Cristiano Ronaldo 2007-08; Luis Suarez 2013-14
Appearances: 28
v Leicester (H), April 15

32 – Salah 2017-18
Appearances: 28
v Leicester (H), April 15

34 – Andy Cole 1993-94; Shearer 1994-95
Appearances: 30
v Fulham (A), April 30

Josh Dasilva believes Brentford have turned their Gtech Community Stadium into a fortress this season.

The Bees have lost just twice at home, against Arsenal and Newcastle, and came from a goal down to beat Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Substitute Dasilva was the hero of their latest victory with his stoppage-time winner.

But he had a nervous wait to find out if the goal would stand after a VAR review to check whether Yoane Wissa was offside.

“I wasn’t sure why,” he said. “I was pretty confident I was onside, but speaking to the guys on the bench, they were saying that Wissa might have been offside. But they gave it, so happy days.

“When they start checking it, you always think they’re not going to give it, so when they do give it, it’s an extra bit of energy. It wasn’t our best game, but we pulled through and got the win.

“The fans give us so much energy. We’ve made it a fortress – we’ve only lost two games here which is amazing – and the fans give us so much. When you score a last-minute winner, it’s always electric. I was buzzing.”

Forest went ahead through Danilo’s strike in first-half stoppage time, but Ivan Toney equalised when his free-kick squirmed between Keylor Navas and the far post.

With doubts persisting over number one goalkeeper Dean Henderson’s fitness, manager Steve Cooper was quizzed about Navas’ role in both goals.

He said: “I just think that now is not the time to speak about anyone. It’s about real togetherness and about sticking together.”

Danilo will undergo a scan on the hamstring injury which forced him off in the closing moments.

Defeat left Forest above the relegation zone by one point with Leicester and Everton, the teams directly below them, playing each other on Monday night.

Sergio Perez warned Max Verstappen he will fight to win the world championship after beating his Red Bull team-mate to victory in Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The Mexican driver took advantage of an early safety car to pit for new tyres and leapfrog Verstappen before controlling the race to win for a second time this year.

Red Bull are the dominant force in Formula One and Perez’s Baku triumph was the team’s 14th win from their last 15 outings.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished third on Sunday, was 21 seconds behind. Lewis Hamilton, sixth for Mercedes, was an eye-watering 46 seconds down the road.

Such is the superiority of his Red Bull machine, Verstappen is still expected to cruise to his third title, but Perez’s victory here breathes fresh life into this year’s title battle.

Perez, who also won Saturday’s sprint race, is now just six points behind Verstappen in the standings after four rounds.

“It is a long year ahead, but I really believe I am in the fight,” said Perez, who dropped points last time out in Australia following a qualifying horror show.

“I wouldn’t say today’s race was my best ever, but it was just very good. I pushed from start to the end without mistakes. When you do that, you believe you can beat anyone so it is just about keeping it up throughout the season.

“I only regret the problems we had in Melbourne that made us lose a lot of points. Without that, I could have been closer in the championship.”

Perez was lauded by his race engineer, Hugh Bird, as the “King of the Streets” after he crossed the line 2.1 sec clear of Verstappen.

The 33-year-old’s victory was his second in Azerbaijan – no other driver has won in Baku more than once – while he has also taken the chequered flag at street venues in Jeddah in March, and Monaco and Singapore last year. Next Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix is also on a street course.

Verstappen would have expected to extend his title lead after blasting past pole-sitter Leclerc on the third lap. But his race fell apart when Nyck de Vries crashed out at the fourth corner.

Verstappen pulled in for new tyres but just moments later the safety car was deployed with De Vries’ broken AlphaTauri needing to be cleared.

With the field running at a controlled speed, Perez was able to stop for rubber and retain the lead.

Verstappen fell from first to third, later re-passing Leclerc, but never threatening to reel in his team-mate.

“I want to win this world championship as much as Max does but there is a lot of respect between us,” added Perez.

“We are very similar in the way we approach the sport so I do not believe our relationship will change.”

Verstappen added: “It is a very long season so it is all about consistency.

“Sergio has really been on it this year and performing well and that is great. He is feeling confident in the car.

“You need to acknowledge and appreciate when somebody has done a great job and that is what happened today. We will fight for the rest of the season.”

Like Verstappen, a pre-safety car change of tyres also cost Hamilton. The British driver dropped from fifth to 10th once the order had shuffled out.

He drove well to move up to sixth, pressing Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to the flag – at one stage calling on his Mercedes team to provide him with “more power” – but he was unable to find a way past. Hamilton is pinning his hopes on a Mercedes upgrade, expected at Imola on May 21.

“This result is all we can ask for right now,” said the seven-time world champion. “Hopefully the upgrades will put us in the fight. We are counting down the days and weeks until then.”

Fernando Alonso finished fourth for Aston Martin, while George Russell, called a “d***head” by Verstappen following their first-lap collision in Saturday’s shortened race, came home in eighth.

McLaren’s Lando Norris claimed two points after he crossed the line in ninth.

Comeback king Luca Brecel revelled in his new role as a front-runner after dominating the opening session of the World Snooker Championship final against four-time winner Mark Selby at the Crucible.

The Belgian, who reeled off seven straight frames to sink Ronnie O’Sullivan in the last eight and then 11 in a row to overcome Si Jiahui, continued his exhilarating progress as he soared into a 6-2 lead ahead of their resumption later on Sunday.

Brecel’s high-octane approach was underscored in the final frame of the session when he clattered the cue-ball into the pack, scattering reds around the table and gifting him the chance to mop up with a break of 70.

In contrast, there were worrying signs for Selby, not-so-fresh from his early hours semi-final win over Mark Allen, who missed a number of early chances and produced rare errors in his safety game that were brutally exposed by the buoyant 28-year-old.

Brecel, having never won a match in five previous visits to the Crucible, continued his apparently nerveless approach by reeling off the first three frames including breaks of 77 and 90.

Errors littered Selby’s game, including two missed blacks off their spots, and he could have been further punished in the fourth frame when he ran aground on 36, only for Brecel to leave a red dangling over the middle pocket.

Selby, however, failed to capitalise on getting his first frame on the board. Brecel pressed further ahead after a well-crafted break of 67, then got the better of a lengthy safety exchange to clinch the sixth by cutting in a tight blue.

Even when Selby responded with a frame-winning break of 62 in the next, the questions remained, as another missed black briefly tempted Brecel back to the table in search of snookers.

He quickly aborted his unlikely mission, preferring to get back to what he did best, and it was not long before his aggressive approach paid dividends once again as he ended the afternoon with a four-frame advantage.

Esteban Ocon has demanded Formula One’s governing body takes action after he said a “big disaster” was narrowly avoided in Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Ocon, who drives for Alpine, came within inches of colliding with a cluster of individuals when he stopped for tyres on the final lap of the race.

On-board video footage from the French driver’s car showed dozens of people – who had gathered at the entrance to the pit-lane with the race still ongoing – scrambling to get out of his way.

“It could have been a big, big one today,” said Ocon. “I got close to them and I had to back off.

“I would not have liked to have been in there with the speed I was arriving. If I missed the braking point it could have been a big disaster. It was crazy.”

A representative from the FIA was summoned to see the race stewards on Sunday evening, with the sporting federation itself confirming it had launched an investigation into the near-miss.

Ocon continued: “I don’t understand why they are starting to prep the podium while we are still racing. There is one lap to go. I am arriving at 300kph (185mph) and I am braking very late.

“It is clear. We need to wait until all the cars have passed the chequered flag and ensure there is no racing in the pit lane. It is not a mystery. It is very simple.

“We don’t want to see this happening again. I am sure the FIA has seen it and they will take action. And if they don’t take action, I will go and speak to them.”

Pablo Larrazabal was left astonished at beating a field of youthful and more powerful hitters after an "unbelievable" win at the Korea Championship on Sunday.

The Spaniard claimed his eighth DP World Tour title after managing four birdies in five holes on the back nine, carding a final-round 67 to finish 12 under par.

Dane Marcus Helligkilde signed for a fourth-round 68 to finish in second on ten under, one clear of Park Sang-hyun, Jorge Campillo, Joost Luiten and Scott Jamieson.

Just a couple of weeks before his 40th birthday, Larrazabal could not hide his amazement at overcoming the field at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.

He said: "It's amazing. In two weeks I'm turning 40. I'm not a long-hitter. To play against all these 20-year-old guys now that hit the ball 40 yards over me, and to beat them is unbelievable. 

"To do it here in Korea, where we have not come for ten years and where I love to play. Now it's one of my favourite places in the world. 

"I will be back to Korea to defend this title and hopefully many more times."

Larrazabal suggested the celebrations will continue into next weekend, albeit for different reasons before preparing for the final tournaments of the season.

He added: "My older brother is getting married on Saturday. I don't know if I'll bring the trophy to the wedding but I'm sure we’ll celebrate 95 per cent his wedding.

"A couple – not too many – of drinks celebrating my title. It's my birthday the week after and then flying to the U.S. PGA Championship in Rochester, New York.

"Seven out of nine weeks on mainland Europe finishing at The Open, and then holiday time."

Self-belief and hard work hoisted Ethan Havard into the England squad for Saturday’s crushing 64-0 win over France in Warrington and the Wigan man is intent on keeping his place during the long build-up to the 2025 World Cup.

Havard was one of 13 international debutants in Shaun Wane’s squad for the one-sided mid-season international, and the 6ft 4ins Wigan forward marked a typically muscular first appearance by touching down for his debut England try midway through the second half.

Along with emerging Wigan club-mates Morgan Smithies and Harry Smith, who also made strong debuts against the outclassed French, 22-year-old Havard is at the centre of a group in whom Wane is clearly prepared to place his long-term trust.

“The players who played against France really stamped their names on the positions, and depending how they continue to play for their Super League teams, they’ve got a really good chance of staying in the squad,” confirmed Wane.

Havard started playing rugby league at the age of six and joined Wigan’s scholarship system in 2016, advancing to make his Super League debut three years later, and also passing through the developmental England Knights.

Much of his progress has come in tandem with his close friend Smithies, who has excelled after being awarded Wigan’s prestigious number 13 jersey this season, and who fittingly provided the pass from which Havard bulled over for his try.

“I’ve got to thank Morgan for that try,” Havard told the PA news agency. “I’ve known him since we were 14 years old and I’ve come through Wigan with him, so for us to make our international debuts together was a special moment.

“At Wigan we speak a lot about our culture, being selfless and respectful to everyone, and putting in the hard work which in turn produces the self-confidence.

“It’s the same with this England squad. You are brought together with players who you hardly see for the rest of the season but there was a great spirit in the camp all week and a real feeling that we are at the start of something big together.”

Feeble French resistance turned England’s first game after last year’s agonising World Cup exit into an 11-try rout, but there will still be plenty of positives for Wane ahead of the much-tougher three-Test series that has been set for Tonga in the autumn.

Besides the series of impressive debuts, George Williams excelled in his role as captain, scoring three tries, and with the international future of Sam Tomkins still unclear, it is likely the Warrington man has rubber-stamped his status as the squad’s new leader.

Meanwhile, Havard and Smithies will head back to Wigan with the intention of building on Wane’s words of encouragement and playing their way back into the squad for the Tonga games.

“I dreamed about playing for England since I was six so to come out and get a taste of it was very inspiring,” added Havard.

“This is where I want to be, but I know that Shaun demands perfection. There’s definitely stuff that I could have done differently or better in the game. You know you’ve got to put your best foot forward every time you step on the field.”