Liverpool's Title Bid Hit by Spurs Draw, Man Utd Thrashed at Brighton

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita look dejected after the match Credit: REUTERS/Phil Noble
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita look dejected after the match Credit: REUTERS/Phil Noble
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Liverpool's Title Bid Hit by Spurs Draw, Man Utd Thrashed at Brighton

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita look dejected after the match Credit: REUTERS/Phil Noble
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita look dejected after the match Credit: REUTERS/Phil Noble

Liverpool's Premier League title bid suffered a blow as Tottenham earned a 1-1 draw against the quadruple chasers, while Manchester United crashed to a "humiliating" 4-0 defeat at Brighton on Saturday.

Jurgen Klopp's side fell behind to Son Heung-min's second-half goal at Anfield before Luis Diaz equalized in the closing stages, AFP said.

Son tapped in Ryan Sessegnon's cross in the 56th minute after good work from Harry Kane in the build-up.

Diaz bagged Liverpool's fortuitous equalizer when his 20-yard drive went in off Rodrigo Bentancur.

Liverpool, who have already won the League Cup and have Champions League and FA Cup finals to come, moved to the top of the table above Manchester City on goal difference.

But champions City will go three points clear of Liverpool if they beat Newcastle in their game in hand at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

That would be a massive boost to City's hopes of retaining the title with just three games left for both teams after this weekend.

"It is incredibly difficult to play against an opponent with world-class players and a world-class manager when they have had a week to prepare and we play every three days," Klopp said.

"The dressing room is not flying, come on, but there are other games to play. We just have to keep going."

The draw was also not enough for Tottenham in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League via a top-four finish.

Tottenham remain fifth and will fall four points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal if the Gunners beat Leeds on Sunday.

- United fall to new low -
Manchester United have endured a host of humiliations in one of their most embarrassing seasons for decades and their lackluster loss at Brighton was among the very worst.

Ralf Rangnick's side were routed by goals from Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Pascal Gross and Leandro Trossard at the Amex Stadium.

Sixth-placed United are certain to miss the Champions League for only the fifth time in 30 seasons.

With 58 points and only one game left, United's fifth successive away defeat means they will finish with their lowest points total in the Premier League era.

"It was a terrible performance. From the first until the last minute it was not enough, we can only apologize for this performance and a humiliating defeat," Rangnick said.

It was a day of mixed emotions at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea blew a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw with Wolves in front of prospective owner Todd Boehly.

Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Boehly and his consortium have won the battle to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich in a £4.25 billion ($5.2 billion) deal.

Boehly's consortium still need to satisfy the Premier League's owners' and directors' test and gain approval from the UK government, but Chelsea expect the sale to be completed by the end of the month.

After the protracted sale sparked fears for Chelsea's future, Blues boss Thomas Tuchel welcomed the takeover, saying: "It gives us an outlook, if terms are agreed and hopefully the process will be streamlined and go forward as soon as possible. Good news."

But Tuchel's third-placed team were unable to celebrate the deal with a victory as they squandered an opportunity to move closer to qualifying for the Champions League.

- Watford go down -
Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku scored his first Premier League goals since December 29 in the 56th and 58th minutes, the first from the penalty spot and the second a long-range effort.

But Francisco Trincao hammered home in the 79th minute and Conor Coady nodded a close-range equalizer in stoppage-time to leave Boehly shaking his head in frustration.

Watford needed a win at Crystal Palace to keep alive their faint hopes of avoiding the drop, but Wilfried Zaha's 31st-minute penalty clinched a 1-0 victory that condemned them to relegation.

"I have never given a press conference in charge of a top-flight team that has been relegated. It is a first I wasn't looking forward to claiming," Watford manager Roy Hodgson said.

Burnley wasted a chance to boost their survival chances as Aston Villa cruised to a 3-1 victory at Turf Moor.

Brentford crushed Southampton 3-0 at their Community Stadium, with the goals coming from Pontus Jansson, Yoane Wissa and Kristoffer Ajer.



Djokovic Still Dealing with Injury, May Not Play Madrid Open

Tennis star Novak Djokovic takes his place in the stands for the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Tennis star Novak Djokovic takes his place in the stands for the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
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Djokovic Still Dealing with Injury, May Not Play Madrid Open

Tennis star Novak Djokovic takes his place in the stands for the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Tennis star Novak Djokovic takes his place in the stands for the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Novak Djokovic is still working through the injury problems that forced him to miss recent events in Miami and Monte Carlo and says he may not be ready for next week's Madrid Open, one of the last stops before the French Open Grand Slam.

The 38-year-old Serb lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final in February and fell to Jack Draper in the Indian Wells ⁠fourth round last ⁠month, before pulling out of the Miami Open due to a right shoulder injury.

The 24-times Grand Slam champion then skipped last week's Monte Carlo Masters before arriving in Spain to begin preparations for the ⁠April 22-May 3 Madrid Open.

However, his participation at the event, which he has won three times, remains in doubt.

"I hope to compete here, I'm working towards that," Djokovic told Spanish broadcaster Movistar+ at a EuroLeague basketball game in the Spanish capital on Thursday.

"I don't (know), I'm not sure. I have been struggling physically a little bit with an ⁠injury, ⁠so I'm trying to address that and play as long as I can.

"Now I have a little bit more time, not playing as much, so I get a chance to enjoy other sports and great athleticism,” Reuters quoted him as saying.

The draw for the Madrid Open will be held on Monday.

Djokovic will be looking for a record 25th Grand Slam title when Roland Garros gets underway on May 24.


Kingdom Holding to Acquire Majority Stake in Al-Hilal

The deal values the share capital of Al-Hilal at 1.4 billion Saudi riyals. Photo: PIF
The deal values the share capital of Al-Hilal at 1.4 billion Saudi riyals. Photo: PIF
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Kingdom Holding to Acquire Majority Stake in Al-Hilal

The deal values the share capital of Al-Hilal at 1.4 billion Saudi riyals. Photo: PIF
The deal values the share capital of Al-Hilal at 1.4 billion Saudi riyals. Photo: PIF

Kingdom Holding Company has signed a binding agreement to acquire a 70% stake in Saudi Pro League soccer club Al-Hilal, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) said on Thursday.

The deal values the share capital of Al-Hilal at 1.4 billion Saudi riyals ($373.20 million). The agreement supports PIF's ⁠strategy of maximizing ⁠returns while recycling capital back into the local economy.

Since July 2023, the PIF has been the principal shareholder in Al-Hilal as part of a wider initiative aimed at accelerating ⁠the development of sports clubs and boosting the sports sector’s contribution to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product.

Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company Prince Al Waleed bin Talal said: “Al-Hilal Club represents a national symbol and a source of pride. Our acquisition reflects our deep belief in the role of sport as a developmental force for both the economy ⁠and ⁠society.”

Al-Hilal, who have been top-flight champions 19 times, are second in the Saudi Pro League on 68 points from 28 games, eight points off Al Nassr with a match in hand.

Deputy Governor and Head of MENA Investments at PIF Yazeed Al-Humied, said: “PIF has proudly helped drive the efforts to transform Saudi Arabia’s sports sector and increase its value proposition for investors while creating lasting results at every level, from players and fans to local communities.”

“PIF has set ambitious goals for the clubs, enabling them to become successful commercially and professionally and achieve long-term financial sustainability. Today’s announcement aligns with PIF’s strategy to maximize returns and redeploy capital within the domestic economy,” he added.

Completion of the transaction is subject to meeting certain conditions and receiving the necessary regulatory approvals as outlined in the agreement.


French Open Prize Money Increases 9.5%

FILE - The crowd watch Norway's Casper Ruud playing against Spain's Rafael Nadal on the court Philippe Chatrier, known as center court, during their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium on June 5, 2022 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE - The crowd watch Norway's Casper Ruud playing against Spain's Rafael Nadal on the court Philippe Chatrier, known as center court, during their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium on June 5, 2022 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
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French Open Prize Money Increases 9.5%

FILE - The crowd watch Norway's Casper Ruud playing against Spain's Rafael Nadal on the court Philippe Chatrier, known as center court, during their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium on June 5, 2022 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE - The crowd watch Norway's Casper Ruud playing against Spain's Rafael Nadal on the court Philippe Chatrier, known as center court, during their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium on June 5, 2022 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

Prize money at this year's French Open will jump by 9.5%, taking the total purse to 61.7 million euros ($72.69 million), organizers said on Thursday.

The increase of 5.4 million euros compared to 2025 continues a steady rise in player earnings at the claycourt Grand Slam, Reuters reported.

The organizers have in recent years focused on boosting prize ⁠money across all ⁠rounds, not only for the champions but also for players eliminated in the early stages, amid growing calls within the sport for a fairer distribution of revenues.

The Paris major, ⁠staged annually at Roland-Garros, has maintained equal prize money for men and women.

The prize money increase comes as pressure mounts from players for a greater share of revenues, with discussions ongoing across the sport involving governing bodies and tournament organizers.

Despite the latest rise, Roland-Garros is expected to remain behind ⁠the ⁠other three Grand Slams in overall prize money.

The US Open offered the largest prize fund of the Grand Slams last year with $90 million, while Wimbledon paid out 53.5 million pounds ($72.40 million).

The Australian Open offered a record A$111.5 million ($79.92 million) in prize money this year.