Man City, Liverpool Turn Attention Back to Premier League Shootout

Manchester City hold a one-point Premier League lead over Liverpool with five games to play. Paul ELLIS AFP
Manchester City hold a one-point Premier League lead over Liverpool with five games to play. Paul ELLIS AFP
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Man City, Liverpool Turn Attention Back to Premier League Shootout

Manchester City hold a one-point Premier League lead over Liverpool with five games to play. Paul ELLIS AFP
Manchester City hold a one-point Premier League lead over Liverpool with five games to play. Paul ELLIS AFP

Manchester City and Liverpool must quickly turn their focus from Champions League glory to the battle for the Premier League title, with no room for error in tricky away trips on Saturday.

City, who hold a one-point advantage at the top of the table with five games remaining, travel to Leeds, who are also in need of the points to guarantee survival, AFP said.

The Premier League's top two remain on course to end their season with another showdown in the Champions League final after seeing off Spanish opposition in contrasting fashion in midweek.

City should have put Real Madrid out of sight in a thrilling 4-3 win over the 13-time European champions, while Goliath got the better of David as Liverpool beat Villarreal 2-0.

Champions League considerations could play a major role in the team selection of both title contenders.

Jurgen Klopp gave Liverpool fans even more cause for celebration by extending his contract at Anfield for a further two years to 2026 on Thursday.

However, the German is far from happy at the scheduling of a lunchtime kick-off just three days after a Champions League semi-final.

"It's brutal but it's fine. It's the best situation you can have," said Klopp.

"Just go for the next one and try to play the best football you can."

City boss Pep Guardiola has a tough balancing act in selecting his side for what is expected to be an energy-sapping visit to Elland Road before their blockbuster return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

- 'Best in the world' -
Leeds are unbeaten in five games, but are just five points clear of the relegation zone ahead of a tough run-in, with Arsenal and Chelsea to come after the visit of City.

"I think it is the ultimate test," said Leeds manager Jesse Marsch. "I'm very honest when I say that I think they are the best team in the world."

Everton have a game in hand to cut the gap on Leeds down to two points, but the Toffees' 68-year stay in the top flight is at serious risk.

Frank Lampard could do with a favor from his old club as Chelsea visit Goodison Park on Sunday.

By the time they kick off, Lampard's men could find themselves five points adrift of safety should Burnley continue their upturn in form since sacking Sean Dyche.

The Clarets have taken seven points from a possible nine under caretaker boss Mike Jackson and will be confident of another huge win when they travel to Watford.

The Hornets have lost 10 consecutive home games and their return to the Championship would be virtually confirmed by another defeat.

A Burnley victory would also mathematically relegate Norwich, should they lose at Aston Villa.

The battle to join City, Liverpool and Chelsea in next season's Champions League looks like a shootout between north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham.

Arsenal have a two-point advantage and both sides will be confident of victory this weekend against opposition with European semi-finals on their mind.

The Gunners travel to West Ham, who trail Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 after the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.

Tottenham host Leicester, who have it all to play for next week in the last four of their Europa Conference League tie after a 1-1 draw with Roma in Thursday's first leg.

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Saturday

Newcastle v Liverpool (1130), Southampton v Crystal Palace, Aston Villa v Norwich, Wolves v Brighton, Watford v Burnley (all 1400), Leeds v Manchester City (1630)

Sunday

Everton v Chelsea, Tottenham v Leicester (both 1300), West Ham v Arsenal (1530)

Monday

Manchester United v Brentford (1900)



F1 on Jeddah’s Streets - Talking Points Ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP

 McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia walks through the paddock ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia walks through the paddock ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
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F1 on Jeddah’s Streets - Talking Points Ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP

 McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia walks through the paddock ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia walks through the paddock ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)

This weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is the final leg of the first "triple header" of the season.

From Suzuka in Japan, to the desert of Bahrain, Formula One now pitches up on the shores of the Red Sea in Jeddah.

AFP Sport looks at five talking points ahead of the fifth round of the 24-race season:

Advantage McLaren

Oscar Piastri put in a faultless display from pole last Sunday in Sakhir to make it three wins out of four for the British marque.

That moved the cool as ice Australian to within three points of championship leader and teammate Lando Norris, who took third in Bahrain.

With Max Verstappen, only sixth, and Red Bull struggling to keep tabs on the world constructors' champions, the 2025 title could well develop into a battle between the two McLaren men.

The team has always been insistent on "papaya rules", theoretically meaning no favoritism between the pair, but that even-handed policy will be put under intense pressure if the season develops into a battle between the two gifted drivers.

Looking ahead to Sunday's race Norris commented: "It's a really fast track and we have a quick car, so we'll be aiming to finish this triple-header strongly."

Red Bull to bounce back?

Red Bull's problems in Bahrain were well documented, and they will be desperate to bounce back on one of their favorite hunting grounds, with Max Verstappen winning in Jeddah in 2022 and 2024.

"Bahrain was quite a difficult weekend for us and didn't really go our way at all. We had some issues that set us back and we still have a lot of work to do on the car to get us where we need to be," said the four-time champion.

He slipped to third in the standings, eight points behind Norris, after trailing in over half a minute behind Piastri in Sakhir.

"We have a final push with this being the third race and final weekend of the triple header so hopefully we can find more pace and bring out a performance similar to Japan (his only win of the season)," he added.

The circuit

Sunday's race presents a radically different test for car and driver than last week in Bahrain. The fastest street circuit on the calendar offers multiple chances for overtaking, in stark contrast to the most famous street circuit of them all, Monaco.

With a record 27 corners and three DRS (drag reduction system) zones it can be counted on to serve up plenty of drama, with the walled sides leaving little room for error.

All the ingredients then for a thrilling race under floodlights on Jeddah's Corniche.

Golf in the Gulf for Gasly

Alpine finally got off the ground in Bahrain, with Pierre Gasly picking up their first points of the season in seventh.

"It's great to leave Bahrain with points on the board after three challenging races at the start of the season," reflected the French driver.

He celebrated his bold show by following Rory McIlroy's emotional Masters triumph at Augusta.

"I really enjoyed staying up late to watch the end of the Masters and I'm delighted for Rory McIlroy, one of our investors, to finally secure the green jacket. Congratulations to him!"

Toto praise for Russell

George Russell will be hoping to concentrate on the job he's paid to do -- driving -- rather than as a part-time electrician. The Briton, enjoying his best ever start to a season, took second last Sunday despite a myriad of issues he had to contend with in the cockpit in the closing stages.

"It was a superb drive from him under extreme pressure," marveled Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.

Russell's teammate Kimi Antonelli did not enjoy the rub of the green and finished out of the points for the first time in his debut season.

"It has been easy to forget that Kimi is in the very earliest stages of his F1 career given his performances so far. Bahrain will prove an important milestone in his continued development," Wolff remarked.