Arsenal Face Chelsea Title Test, Troubled Spurs in Spotlight 

Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal (C) celebrates scoring the 1-4 goal during the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC, in London, Britain, 22 February 2026. (EPA)
Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal (C) celebrates scoring the 1-4 goal during the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC, in London, Britain, 22 February 2026. (EPA)
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Arsenal Face Chelsea Title Test, Troubled Spurs in Spotlight 

Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal (C) celebrates scoring the 1-4 goal during the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC, in London, Britain, 22 February 2026. (EPA)
Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal (C) celebrates scoring the 1-4 goal during the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC, in London, Britain, 22 February 2026. (EPA)

Premier League leaders Arsenal face a title test from London rivals Chelsea on Sunday.

Manchester City can keep the pressure on Arsenal with a win at Leeds, while troubled Tottenham cannot afford another damaging defeat.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of this weekend's action:

Players meeting sparked Arsenal revival

Arsenal revitalized their flagging title bid thanks to a meeting between the players prior to their vital 4-1 win at Tottenham on Sunday.

Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze both scored twice in a north London derby rout that came just four days after Arsenal were stunned by a 2-2 draw at bottom of the table Wolves.

The dropped points at Molineux led to questions about Arsenal's ability to cope with the title tension and Mikel Arteta's squad responded by thrashing out their issues in crunch talks.

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice said the players spoke to each other in a "firm" way, leading to a cathartic victory at Tottenham that reestablished a five-point lead over second-placed Manchester City.

"It's important sometimes just to say what you feel and to let it all out in the group," Gyokeres said ahead of Chelsea's visit to the Emirates Stadium.

"Most of us spoke. Everyone can recognize how different people feel in the moment and you get a better understanding of the feeling.

"If you're not honest, I think it's hard to improve. It was a good chat and now we're going to prepare for a big game against Chelsea."

Defiant Man City vow to keep fighting

Pep Guardiola has warned Arsenal that Manchester City will "never give up" as they chase the seventh Premier League title of his glittering reign.

Guardiola's side won 2-1 against Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium last weekend to keep the destiny of the title in their hands.

Although Arsenal are five points ahead, City have a game in hand and host the Gunners in April.

If City win their last 11 matches they guaranteed to win the title no matter what Arsenal do in their remaining 10 games.

"When I was at Spurs and we drew 2-2 someone said why don't we drop the Premier League and focus on the cups. I said, 'No, why? Let's go, let's try'," Guardiola said before City's trip to Leeds on Saturday.

"Many things are going to happen. Never give up. Ten or 11 games is a lot of games in the Premier League."

Tudor adamant Spurs can survive

Facing the grim prospect of crashing into the second tier for the first time since 1977-78, Tottenham desperately need to slow their plunge towards the Championship by winning at Fulham on Sunday.

Igor Tudor's first game as interim boss ended in a chastening 4-1 defeat against arch-rivals Arsenal, leaving Tottenham perilously poised just four points above the relegation zone.

Tottenham have 11 games to save themselves from humiliation, but Tudor is hampered by a lengthy injury list and a confidence crisis triggered by the team's nine-match winless run.

"Of course there is enough time (to survive)," Tudor said.

"Stay humble, that is the key for each of us. Try to become what I said before: a hard-working team. That is the only goal we have now in this moment."



Lens Secure Champions League Spot and Send Nantes Down

Lens' Portuguese midfielder #04 Mezian Mesloub Soares (C-L) celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's first goal during the French L1 football match between RC Lens and FC Nantes at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on May 8, 2026. (Photo by Francois LO PRESTI / AFP)
Lens' Portuguese midfielder #04 Mezian Mesloub Soares (C-L) celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's first goal during the French L1 football match between RC Lens and FC Nantes at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on May 8, 2026. (Photo by Francois LO PRESTI / AFP)
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Lens Secure Champions League Spot and Send Nantes Down

Lens' Portuguese midfielder #04 Mezian Mesloub Soares (C-L) celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's first goal during the French L1 football match between RC Lens and FC Nantes at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on May 8, 2026. (Photo by Francois LO PRESTI / AFP)
Lens' Portuguese midfielder #04 Mezian Mesloub Soares (C-L) celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's first goal during the French L1 football match between RC Lens and FC Nantes at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on May 8, 2026. (Photo by Francois LO PRESTI / AFP)

Teenage substitute Mezian Mesloub gave Lens a 1-0 win over Nantes in Ligue 1 on Friday to clinch his side qualification for next season's Champions League, while relegating Nantes to the second tier.

The result also keeps the Ligue 1 title race alive with second-placed Lens the only team that can still pip Paris Saint-Germain to the trophy.

The 16-year-old substitute Mesloub picked up a loose ball in the box with his first touch in the 79th minute and fired home with his second to break the deadlock on his Ligue 1 debut, AFP reported.

Lens are now guaranteed a top-three finish in Ligue 1 after moving nine points clear of fourth-placed Lille, with both teams having two matches remaining.

The top three teams in Ligue 1 qualify automatically for the Champions League phase, while the fourth-placed side heads into the qualifying rounds.

Lens, whose budget is not even a 10th of Champions League finalists PSG, are still to play the Parisians who lead them by three points and have a game in hand.

Following the win, the sell-out 38,000 crowd at Lens' Stade Bollaert stayed behind for extravagant celebrations, with the players heralded one at a time on a spotlit center-circle with fireworks flaming.

Stopping PSG remains an outside chance, but Lens are also eyeing silverware in the French Cup, with the final against Nice on May 22.

Lens, the 1998 French champions, were the surprise package earlier in the season as they reached the winter break top of the table.

Lens had three goals ruled out for offside or handball Friday as Nantes held them at bay largely thanks to goalkeeper Anthony Lopes.

Nantes are now guaranteed to finish in the bottom two and will be relegated from Ligue 1.

Club great Vahid Halilhodzic took over as the third coach of their season in March but could not save the Canaries.

PSG play Brest at home on Sunday but the Lens win has prevented them from mathematically wrapping up a fifth straight title this weekend.

However, their far superior goal difference means victory would all but wrap up top spot.

Luis Enrique's men will face Arsenal in the Champions League final on May 30 after beating Bayern Munich 6-5 on aggregate in the semi-finals.


Messi Says Argentina Up Against 'Other Favorites' in World Cup Repeat Bid

Soccer player Gianfranco Alegre, 8, poses for the picture prior to a match at the Grandoli club, where soccer star Lionel Messi played as a child in Rosario, Argentina, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Soccer player Gianfranco Alegre, 8, poses for the picture prior to a match at the Grandoli club, where soccer star Lionel Messi played as a child in Rosario, Argentina, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
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Messi Says Argentina Up Against 'Other Favorites' in World Cup Repeat Bid

Soccer player Gianfranco Alegre, 8, poses for the picture prior to a match at the Grandoli club, where soccer star Lionel Messi played as a child in Rosario, Argentina, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Soccer player Gianfranco Alegre, 8, poses for the picture prior to a match at the Grandoli club, where soccer star Lionel Messi played as a child in Rosario, Argentina, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Lionel Messi says Argentina fans are right to dream of a second straight World Cup crown, but warns other contenders, including France and Spain, "are in better shape.”

"There are a lot of guys who are dealing with injuries or a lack of match fitness, but the truth is that when the group is together it has been proven that it competes and always wants to win," Messi said of Argentina in an interview with host Pollo Alvarez published on YouTube.

However, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, who has made Inter Miami the must-see team in Major League Soccer, said the competition will be stiff, AFP reported.

"As of today, France are in great shape again. They have a ton of top-level players," he said of the team that Argentina beat in the 2022 final in Qatar.

He also tipped Spain and Brazil, called Portugal "very competitive" and noted that traditional European powers Germany and England are always dangerous.

Messi, who will turn 39 in June, has yet to officially confirm his participation in the tournament, which will be held from June 11-July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Nevertheless, the former Barcelona star stressed that he has not set any time limits on his career as his competitive hunger remains.

"I love playing football, and I'm going to do it until I can't anymore," said Messi, who earned MLS Most Valuable Player honors last season as he sparked Miami to the title and led the league in goals.

"I'm competitive," he said. "I like to win at everything ... I don't even let my son win at video games."


Suarez Open to Uruguay Return for World Cup

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez speaks during an MLS soccer news conference following training, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Daniel Kozin)
Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez speaks during an MLS soccer news conference following training, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Daniel Kozin)
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Suarez Open to Uruguay Return for World Cup

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez speaks during an MLS soccer news conference following training, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Daniel Kozin)
Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez speaks during an MLS soccer news conference following training, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Daniel Kozin)

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has left the door open for an international return, saying he would reverse his retirement if he is needed for this year’s World Cup, potentially returning to the national side after over a 19-month absence.

The 39-year-old retired from international football in September 2024 as Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 143 appearances.

Suarez’s farewell was marked by controversy after he criticized coach Marcelo Bielsa’s management style, saying it ⁠had divided the ⁠dressing room, though the former Barcelona forward said he has apologized for those remarks.

"I would never say no to the national team if they need me, especially with a World Cup coming up," Suarez told reporters as ⁠quoted by EFE news agency.

“At the time, I stepped aside to make way for the younger generation. I said something I shouldn’t have said. I have already apologized to those I needed to apologize to.”

Now at Major Soccer League (MLS) side Inter Miami, Suarez said he still feels the drive to compete, despite his age.

"You realize you still have a little bit of life ⁠left ⁠in you," Reuters quoted Suarez as saying.

"You get the urge to keep competing. You can see it on the pitch when you still get angry about the losses and the bad passes, and you still enjoy it when you score goals."

Suarez has represented Uruguay at four World Cups and was part of their 2011 Copa America-winning side.

The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, will begin on June 11.