Arsenal and Newcastle set up a Premier League showdown next weekend as the race for the remaining Champions League spots intensified Sunday.
After a weekend of upsets and comebacks in the Premier League, the six-way battle to qualify for European club soccer's top competition looks set to go down to the wire.
With the top five qualifying for the Champions League next season, just six points separate second-placed Arsenal and seventh-placed Nottingham Forest with two rounds to go. And only two points separate Arsenal and Newcastle in third ahead of their penultimate league game at the Emirates Stadium next Sunday.
Arsenal rallied from two goals down against champion Liverpool to draw 2-2 at Anfield on Sunday, and Newcastle beat Chelsea 2-0.
Manchester City is a point further back in fourth after being held 0-0 by last-placed Southampton on Saturday.
Forest’s chances were hit by a 2-2 draw against relegated Leicester on Sunday that led to owner Evangelos Marinakis appearing to remonstrate with manager Nuno Espirito Santo on the field after the match.
Europa League finalists Manchester United and Tottenham maintained their woeful domestic form — both losing 2-0 at home.
United was beaten by West Ham and Spurs lost to FA Cup finalist Crystal Palace.
Arsenal fightback
Dumped out of the Champions League semifinals by Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the week, Arsenal's main focus now is ensuring a return.
But trailing 2-0 after just 21 minutes against Liverpool, it looked like another sobering day for Mikel Arteta's team, which was already on a run of just one win from its last five league games.
Now it's one in six, but Arsenal successfully avoided defeat after a second-half fightback through goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino, who was later sent off.
The Gunners paid the price for a lackluster start as they conceded twice in quick succession, with goals from Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz.
“What we did in the first half is nowhere near the level, so to do it after is too late. We reacted, great, but the standards in those 20 minutes were unacceptable," Arteta said.
Boos for Trent
Six days after confirming that he’ll leave Liverpool as a free agent, Trent Alexander-Arnold was given a hostile reception by some Liverpool fans when he was booed when coming on against Arsenal as a second-half substitute.
“I said to everyone that asked me that question (about the reception) that it is a privilege to live in Europe, where everybody can have his own opinion and everybody can express his own opinion,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said. “A few of them were not happy with him. I think all of them are not happy with him leaving the club. But a few of them showed it in a way that they booed him. And a few of them clapped.”
Battle for second
Two points will guarantee Champions League soccer for Arsenal next season, but a third straight runner-up spot could be in doubt if it fails to beat Newcastle, which will have second place in its sights after victory against 10-man Chelsea at St. James’ Park.
Sandro Tonali fired the home team ahead from close range in the second minute and Nicolas Jackson was sent off for Chelsea in the 35th, following a VAR review, for a foul on Sven Botman.
Chelsea pushed for an equalizer after the break, but Bruno Guimaraes’ dipping shot from distance in the 90th killed off the visitors’ hopes of a comeback.
“We still have two games to go and lots of twists and turns that could be around the corner,” Howe said. “We have to drive forward, reflect on our next game and make sure we’re ready for Arsenal because that is a very, very tough match.”
Forest held by Leicester
Forest's rise from relegation fighter to Champions League contender has been one of the surprise stories of the season.
But it looks in danger of falling away in the final weeks of the season after being held at home by relegated Leicester.
While a point meant Forest will be playing European soccer of some description next term — in the Europa League or Conference League if it misses out on the big one — owner Marinakis didn't look to be in the mood to celebrate after the final whistle at the City Ground.
Approaching Espirito Santo on the field, the Greek businessman looked frustrated and appeared to remonstrate during a brief exchange before they went their separate ways.
“It is because of the owner and his passion that we are growing as a club. He pushes us. He wants us to be better,” said Espirito Santo, who explained Marinakis had been frustrated because of a miscommunication between the bench and medical staff after an injury to striker Taiwo Awoniyi late on.
Forest had come back from a goal down to lead 2-1 against Midlands rival Leicester, but Facundo Buonanotte leveled the game in the 81st.
Europa flops
As well as the top five, England will be represented by a sixth team in the Champions League next season after United and Tottenham advanced to an all-English Europa League final, with the winner also qualifying.
But based on domestic form, neither team looks like they should be mixing it with Europe's elite.
United's latest defeat was a club-record extending 17th loss in the Premier League to leave it languishing in 16th place.
“Everybody is focused on the final. The final is not the biggest thing in our football club,” said United coach Ruben Amorim. “We need to change a lot of things. If we don’t change the way we play and perform and feel this urgency of winning every game, we should not play in the Champions League.”
It's even worse for Tottenham - now down to 17th with a club record 20th loss in a Premier League campaign.
