Saturday's briefing: Aston Villa and Chelsea boost Champions League hopes
Pep Guardiola said victory in Saturday's FA Cup final against Crystal Palace is 'massively important' as Manchester City bid to salvage something from a disappointing season.
Villa close on Champions League return
Aston Villa's Boubacar Kamara, centre, celebrates scoring his side's second goal in their 2-0 home win against Tottenham (Nigel French/PA)
Aston Villa moved closer to a Champions League return after a 2-0 victory over Tottenham, who had one eye on Wednesday's Europa League final.
Villa's memorable run to the quarter-finals of this season's competition gave them the taste for more and they boosted their hopes with an eighth win from their last nine Premier League games.
This was probably the biggest home banker of the campaign given where Spurs' focus lay, but Villa made hard work of it, needing second-half goals from Ezri Konsa and Boubacar Kamara to get the job done.
That means, if other results go their way this weekend, a win in their final game of the season at Manchester United would be enough to guarantee Villa a return to the promised land.
Cucurella keeps Chelsea on track
Marc Cucurella, centre, scored Chelsea's second-half winner against Manchester United (Bradley Collyer/PA)
Marc Cucurella was once again Chelsea's hero as his headed goal earned a potentially season-defining 1-0 win over Manchester United just as his side's Champions League hopes looked to be slipping away.
With 20 minutes remaining at Stamford Bridge the Blues were set to head into the final day of the Premier League season with their top-five fate out of their hands, with more poor finishing seemingly condemning them to two crucial points dropped and a third straight season out of Europe's top competition.
News that Aston Villa had won in the earlier kick-off only added to the tension before the ebullient, untameable Cucurella slipped his man to head Reece James' cross past Andre Onana in the 71st minute.
A win away to Nottingham Forest next Sunday will confirm a top-five finish.
Cup win 'massively important' for Pep
Tomorrow we play in our third consecutive #FACup final 🙌
Tune into our Matchday Live show from 15:25 📺 pic.twitter.com/TWQiVXtHOj
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 16, 2025
Guardiola feels it is 'massively important' for Manchester City to win the FA Cup.
City have had to readjust their targets this season after failing to defend their Premier League title and exiting the Champions League prematurely.
Guardiola's side are hoping to salvage something from a disappointing campaign by beating Crystal Palace in Saturday's final at Wembley and securing a top-five spot next week.
City manager Guardiola said: 'That is now the problem, right? The FA Cup now is not the first choice.
'Of course, we want it. Once we are there, we want to lift the trophy. Of course it's really massively important.'
Palace eye first major trophy
The FA Cup Final.
For South London. ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/bMDe65OprB
— Palace for Life (@PalaceForLife) May 16, 2025
Oliver Glasner concedes an FA Cup win might hold more weight for Crystal Palace than it could for final opponents City.
When the sides meet at Wembley, Guardiola will be leading out City in search of the 19th trophy of his prolific nine-year tenure in Manchester alone. Glasner's side will be playing for the first major silverware in their entire history.
Glasner said: 'If something is the first time in your life, then maybe it means more to you than when you have it every single year. Under Pep, how many trophies they have won, how many finals they have played, it's definitely more than Crystal Palace have.
'Still, for the players, for a manager, for a club, winning a trophy is always something great in a season. So I don't expect that they will wave the white flag and then say, 'OK, it's a first title for Crystal Palace, you should get it'.'
Awoniyi: 'Positive' update
Taiwo Awoniyi, left, sustained serious injury when colliding with a post in last week's home draw against Leicester (Jacob King/PA)
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo says Taiwo Awoniyi's outlook is 'positive' after he was in an induced coma following emergency surgery on an abdominal injury.
Awoniyi had two operations to repair serious internal damage after he collided with a post during Sunday's 2-2 draw with Leicester and was kept unconscious in order to aid his recovery.
The 27-year-old is now awake and talking with his family, but is set to remain in hospital for the coming days.
'He went to surgery, surgery went well, thank God,' Nuno explained. 'He is under observation now, but he is recovering. We still have to wait for the doctors to allow visits. We are concerned but it is positive.'
What's on today?
Last year's beaten finalists Manchester City are bidding to win the FA Cup for a third time under Pep Guardiola (Nick Potts/PA)
Manchester City will bid to win their 19th major trophy under Pep Guardiola on Saturday when they face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
Celtic will be presented with the Scottish Premiership trophy after their final league match against St Mirren at Parkhead, while Rangers play at Hibernian and Dundee United play at home against Aberdeen, all in lunch-time kick-offs.
AFC Wimbledon face Notts County in the second leg of their League Two play-off semi-final.
Airdrieonians take on Cove Rangers in the second leg of the Scottish Championship play-off final and East Kilbride play at Bonnyrigg Rose in the second leg of the Scottish League Two play-off final.
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