Chelsea Manager Maresca Pleased with Estevao’s Impact

Chelsea's Estevao looks on during the English Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers, in London, Britain, 08 November 2025. (EPA)
Chelsea's Estevao looks on during the English Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers, in London, Britain, 08 November 2025. (EPA)
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Chelsea Manager Maresca Pleased with Estevao’s Impact

Chelsea's Estevao looks on during the English Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers, in London, Britain, 08 November 2025. (EPA)
Chelsea's Estevao looks on during the English Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers, in London, Britain, 08 November 2025. (EPA)

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca applauded Estevao for his performance after the winger came off the bench and inspired Chelsea to a 3-0 Premier League win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Right back Malo Gusto put the hosts ahead with a header in the 51st minute, but the game was still in the balance when the 18-year-old was introduced just after the hour-mark.

Estevao, who has largely been limited to substitute appearances in the Premier League, gave Chelsea a cushion just one minute after coming on, setting up fellow Brazilian Joao Pedro for their second goal.

"I was very worried before this game. These are the worst games, they're tricky. Everyone is thinking it's going to be easy," Maresca told reporters.

"I can understand first half people were not happy because we didn't score. Then when Estevao came on the energy raised because people love that kind of player.

"You can see his talent. We are trying to help him to adapt and give him the right minutes. He arrived from Brazil, he needs time to adapt, but he's going to start games for us in the future."

Maresca also hailed winger Alejandro Garnacho's work rate after the Argentine international, signed from Manchester United in August for a deal reportedly worth 40 million pounds ($53.68 million), bagged two assists.

"He arrived from a club where he was not training 100 percent so his physical condition was not good," Maresca said.

"Slowly now he is better. He knows that to play with us he needs to be good on the ball and off the ball otherwise he's not going to play. We are very happy with him."

The win provisionally moved Chelsea up to second in the standings, a point above Manchester City who have a game in hand and play Liverpool later on Sunday.

The London club next travel to face Burnley in a league match on November 22, after the international break.



Spurs Sweat over Premier League Survival as Salah, Guardiola Say Goodbye

25 April 2026, United Kingdom, Liverpool: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah applauds the fans as he is substituted during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire/dpa
25 April 2026, United Kingdom, Liverpool: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah applauds the fans as he is substituted during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire/dpa
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Spurs Sweat over Premier League Survival as Salah, Guardiola Say Goodbye

25 April 2026, United Kingdom, Liverpool: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah applauds the fans as he is substituted during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire/dpa
25 April 2026, United Kingdom, Liverpool: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah applauds the fans as he is substituted during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire/dpa

Tottenham must avoid defeat against Everton on Sunday to guarantee their place in the Premier League next season as Pep Guardiola and Mohamed Salah prepare for emotional farewells.

Liverpool and Bournemouth could both secure places in the Champions League, while European football is also on the line for Brighton, Brentford, Chelsea and Sunderland.

Spurs 'dignity' at stake

According to AFP, this time last year Tottenham fans were basking in the glow of a first trophy for 17 years after beating Manchester United to lift the Europa League.

Head coach Roberto De Zerbi believes the visit of Everton dwarfs the importance of that victory, with Premier League survival at stake.

"There is something more important than the trophy and the bonus," he said. "There is the future of the club, there is the history of the club, there is the pride of the players, there is the pride of the families of the players.

"There is the dignity of every one of us."

A point will be enough to secure survival and relegate West Ham due to Tottenham's vastly superior goal difference.

But Spurs have already lost 10 of their 18 home league games this season and another defeat would open the door to Nuno Espirito Santo's Hammers, if they can beat Leeds.

Battle for Europe

Liverpool should ensure a terrible season does not end on a fresh low note by securing a top-five finish in Mohamed Salah's farewell to Anfield.

Finishing in the top five would ensure Champions League football next season -- a consolation prize after a shocking title defence.

Egypt international Salah criticised Liverpool's performances under Arne Slot this season after last week's 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa.

"I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and back to being a team that wins trophies," he said in a social media post, pointedly referring to the football played under Slot's predecessor Jurgen Klopp.

"Qualifying to next season's Champions League is the bare minimum and I will do everything I can to make that happen," he added.

Liverpool, who host Brentford, have a three-point lead and a six-goal cushion on goal difference over sixth-placed Bournemouth.

Sixth could be enough to qualify for the Champions League if Liverpool win and leapfrog Aston Villa, who travel to Manchester City, into fifth spot.

As it stands, the sixth and seventh-placed teams would go into the Europa League and the eighth would qualify for the Conference League, AFP reported.

Brighton would be guaranteed at least Europa League football with victory over Manchester United.

Sunderland host Chelsea with a chance of qualifying for continental competition for the first time in more than half a century.

Premier League greats depart

Mohamed Salah's outburst gives Arne Slot a tough decision to make on whether to start the 33-year-old, who has only recently returned from a hamstring injury.

The already unpopular coach risks infuriating the Liverpool fans even further if he does not give the man they christened "The Egyptian King" one last run out in front of the Kop.

With increasing speculation over his future, Slot can ill afford to let any personal issues with Salah get in the way of finishing the season on a high.

Liverpool have failed to win any of the nine league games that Salah has not started in 2026.

At the Etihad, Guardiola is set for a rousing send-off after amassing 20 trophies in his decade in charge, including six Premier League titles and City's only Champions League.

"It's been the experience of my life," said the Catalan after announcing his departure on Friday.


Manchester United's Fernandes Named Premier League Player of the Season

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Nottingham Forest - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 17, 2026 Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes in action REUTERS
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Nottingham Forest - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 17, 2026 Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes in action REUTERS
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Manchester United's Fernandes Named Premier League Player of the Season

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Nottingham Forest - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 17, 2026 Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes in action REUTERS
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Nottingham Forest - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 17, 2026 Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes in action REUTERS

Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes was named the Premier League player of the season on Saturday after guiding his club to third place in the standings while equaling the league's assists record with a game to spare. Fernandes tied the league record of 20 assists jointly held by former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry and ex-Manchester City playmaker Kevin De ⁠Bruyne.

The Portugal international ⁠also scored eight goals as United secured a third-place finish to qualify for the Champions League.

The 31-year-old was nominated alongside Arsenal's title-winning trio of Gabriel, David Raya and Declan Rice, ⁠Manchester City duo Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo, Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White and Brentford striker Igor Thiago.

Fernandes emerged as the Premier League's best playmaker this season when he created a league-high 132 chances. The next best player was Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai, who created 89 chances, Reuters reported.

Fernandes was named the Football Writers' Association ⁠men's ⁠player of the year earlier this month while he also picked up the club's Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year honor for the fifth time.

He has the opportunity to make the Premier League assists record his own on Sunday when United travel to Brighton & Hove Albion for the final game of the season.


North Korean Team Wins Asian Women's Champions League Soccer Title

Naegohyang Women's FC players celebrate with the trophy during the victory ceremony after the AFC Women's Champions League final football match between North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC and Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza in Suwon on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
Naegohyang Women's FC players celebrate with the trophy during the victory ceremony after the AFC Women's Champions League final football match between North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC and Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza in Suwon on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
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North Korean Team Wins Asian Women's Champions League Soccer Title

Naegohyang Women's FC players celebrate with the trophy during the victory ceremony after the AFC Women's Champions League final football match between North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC and Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza in Suwon on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
Naegohyang Women's FC players celebrate with the trophy during the victory ceremony after the AFC Women's Champions League final football match between North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC and Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza in Suwon on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)

North Korea’s Naegohyang FC defeated Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 to win soccer's Asian Women’s Champions League on Saturday in the South Korean city of Suwon.

Kim Kyong Yong scored the only goal of the game, her fourth of the tournament, just before halftime.

The North Korean international forward, who also scored the winning goal in the semifinal win over South Korea’s Suwon FC on Wednesday, shot home from inside the area after receiving the ball from Kim Jung who broke free of the Japanese defense, The Associated Press reported.

Watched by a sparse crowd at Suwon Sports Complex, just south of Seoul, the team from Pyongyang had more chances than Tokyo in what was a tight game and deserved to win just the second edition of the 12-team continental tournament, following Wuhan Jiangda’s triumph a year earlier.

The triumph continues unprecedented success for North Korea in women’s soccer. In 2024, the national team won both the U-20 and U-17 World Cups, and successfully defended the latter in 2025.

At a continental level, North Korea won the 2024 Women’s Asian Cup and the 2024 and 2026 U-17 tournament.

“We don’t have enough time to explain the evolution of our national football programs,” Naegohyang head coach Ri Yu Il said prior to the final.

“We have a specialized player development system. Players are well-trained from a young age and as they grow older, they contribute to good performances at AFC or FIFA competitions.”