The match between the top two teams in the Premier League did not mean all that much, but still provided a modicum of entertainment for the neutrals, while Manchester City slumped to a terrible draw that allowed Southampton to make history. Let’s review the action.
Premier League Winners
Southampton
Among records for season-long futility, Derby County’s 11-point Premier League season in 2007-08 stands alongside the Philadelphia 76ers’ 9-win NBA season in 1972-73 and the recent winless NFL seasons by the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns. The Saints were on track to equal Derby’s record until they pulled their socks up and squeezed out a goalless draw against Manchester City to avoid tying the record for worst season in the top flight. The fact that they did it against a City team that had Erling Haaland back in the lineup makes it all the more meaningful.
Newcastle
You can blame Nicolas Jackson for elbowing Sven Botman in the head and being sent off. You can credit Chelsea for creating a number of scoring chances anyway despite being a man down. None of this takes away from the win that Newcastle earned at home that moves them into third place ahead of Manchester City.
Ollie Watkins
His goal was the difference in an enormous win for Aston Villa over a tough Bournemouth side. They’re probably glad that they kept him rather than selling him to Arsenal during the window. If Villa win their remaining games over Spurs and Manchester United, they’re probably in the Champions League next season.
Kevin Schade
That’s four goals in the last three games for the Brentford striker. After scoring a grand total of two in his first two seasons for the Bees, the German attacker has finally found his form to the tune of 12 during this Premier League campaign.
Premier League Losers
Manchester City
If you’re a City supporter, the Southampton game was really frustrating. If you’re a fan of anyone else, it was really funny that this team with a payroll five times the size of their opponents couldn’t break down the club that’s assured of finishing last in the Premier League. Even funnier was Rúben Dias’ post-game whinging about City failing to do what Leicester did pretty easily last week. If City wind up missing the Champions League because of this, that’ll be funnier still.
Nottingham Forest
The de-Forestation continues with their draw at home to relegated Leicester. The Trees thought they had stopped the slide after Chris Wood’s header put them up 2-1, but Facundo Buonanotte picked up a loose ball and dribbled through Forest’s exhausted defense to salvage the draw for the Foxes. Mathematically they can still catch Arsenal for second place, but based on recent form (five points out of their last possible 18), they’re not going to the Champions League next season.
The Europa League finalists
After their big wins in the second-tier tournament’s semifinals, Tottenham Hotspur were easily outplayed by Crystal Palace in a 2-0 loss that could easily have been worse, while Manchester United played better but still lost by the same score to a West Ham team that is worse than Palace. It’s not as if these results are flukes, either. In 10 days, either Spurs or United will win the Europa League. It is farcical that one of these teams will make the Champions League because of their humongous financial advantage over their superior counterparts in Spain, Germany, and Italy.
Mikel Merino
Two yellow cards in quick succession against Liverpool means that Arsenal will be without their Spanish false nine for the final game against Newcastle. Eesh.
Jacob Greaves
Ipswich Town’s central defender had a second half to forget against Brentford, as he got smacked in the head from close range by Yoane Wissa’s shot. Later, Wissa tried to execute a bicycle kick and accidentally kicked Greaves in the face, which drew a yellow card for the Congolese striker. Then Greaves tried to draw a penalty by wrestling Yehor Yarmolyuk to the ground near Brentford’s goal, but it didn’t work. All this effort and suffering, and his team lost the game.