Latest news with #MatheusNunes'
The Independent
04-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Man City, Newcastle, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa: Who has the best run-in?
With just a few matches remaining of the Premier League season for each side, only four points separate third and seventh in the race for Champions League qualification. Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Aston Villa will battle to secure the final two spots in Europe's premier cup competition, with Arsenal and Liverpool having all but secured their places. And with Reds having sealed their 20th top-flight title at a canter and all the three relegation spots already confirmed, the race for the top five is all that's left to provide drama before the final weekend. But with several of the sides in third to seventh still set to play each other as well as the champions-elect and relegated sides, which teams are best placed to finish in the top five come the end of May? Manchester City Points: 64 (played 35) Pep Guardiola's side find themselves in unfamiliar territory with four games left to go, but the Spaniard has already emphasised the potential importance of qualifying for Europe's top-tier competition. Thankfully for the champions, they have arguably the kindest set of fixtures out of the five sides. Their huge win over Aston Villa, which came thanks to Matheus Nunes' 94th minute winner, was followed by a win over Wolves with struggling Southampton to come next. After that, City need to navigate matches against Bournemouth and Fulham, with the difficulty of those likely to depend on whether each side is still hunting their own place in European competition. Remaining fixtures 10 May: Southampton (A) 18 May: Bournemouth (H) 25 May: Fulham (A) Newcastle United Points: 63 (played 35) Eddie Howe's side were flying high after their Carabao Cup triumph and dominant wins over Manchester United and Palace, but they were quickly brought down to Earth with that 4-1 drubbing against Aston Villa. They responded by beating Ipswich, but the Magpies will have to navigate a fairly difficult set of fixtures if they are to return to the Champions League for the second time in three seasons, as they face Arsenal and Chelsea on consecutive weekends before finishing the season at home to Everton. It remains to be seen if Alexander Isak's late penalty in the 1-1 draw at Brighton was a point gained or two dropped. Remaining fixtures 11 May: Chelsea (H) 18 May: Arsenal (A) 25 May: Everton (H) Chelsea Points: 63 (played 35) Though Chelsea are still well-positioned to make the top five, some of their fans will be wondering how it's this close after being second in December. However, they were the big winners of Forest's home defeat against Brentford on Thursday night, as their hopes are in their hands. A poor run of form has led to some discontent at the Bridge, but the dramatic comeback win over Fulham and victories over Everton and newly crowned champions Liverpool has restored some belief ahead of arguably the toughest run of fixtures out of the these five clubs. There is certainly no 'easy' game remaining for the Blues, with difficult away trips to fellow top-five chasers Newcastle and Forest as well as a home fixture against Manchester United. It's going to come down to those last three fixtures for Enzo Maresca and his young side. Chelsea's remaining fixtures are as follows: 11 May: Newcastle (A) 16 May: Manchester United (H) 25 May: Nottingham Forest (A) Nottingham Forest Points: 60 (played 34) Are the wheels coming off Forest's incredible season after a fourth defeat in five games? Brentford added to their recent slump with a 2-0 win at the City Ground on Thursday night, which came after the dispiriting FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester City. However, their fixture list is looking the kindest of the contenders, as they face two of the most out-of-form sides in the league in Leicester and West Ham, as well as a Palace side who may well be looking ahead to an FA Cup final against Manchester City later this month. 'We have to find in ourselves. But I don't see (pressure), I see belief, desire and commitment,' Nuno Espirito Santo said. 'But the reality is we are struggling in some aspects of our game – focus and determination to be practical and solve the situations that are simple to solve.' Forest's remaining fixtures are as follows: 5 May: Crystal Palace (A) 11 May: Leicester (H) 18 May: West Ham (A) 25 May: Chelsea (H) Aston Villa Points: 60 (played 35) Villa's brilliant recent form was hit by back-to-back defeats, to Manchester City late on at the Etihad and to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-finals, but Unai Emery's side got back on track with a 1-0 win over Fulham. Bournemouth, chasing a European place themselves, are up next. Villa will be hopeful of victory in their last two matches against Spurs and United - who have all but written off their Premier League campaigns as they look to prepare for a Europa League final. Villa's remaining fixtures are as follows: 10 May: Bournemouth (A) 18 May: Tottenham (H) 25 May: Manchester United (A)
Daily Mirror
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Football fans slam 'ridiculous' ticket prices after empty seats spotted at huge game
Manchester City faced Aston Villa on Tuesday night with both sides looking to boost their respective Champions League qualification hopes - but the Etihad Stadium appeared far from full Football fans have taken to social media to voice their dismay after snaps appearing to show thousands of empty seats at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium during last night's clash (April 22) circulated online. Despite the high stakes, with both City and Aston Villa vying for a spot in next season's Champions League, the stadium was far from packed as the hosts secured a 2-1 victory thanks to a Matheus Nunes' goal. Anticipation might have predicted a full house for such a critical match in the Premier League run-in, but the actual turnout told a different tale, with the club yet to release official attendance figures. Disgruntled fan William Ash expressed his views on X, where he posted a video capturing the startling abundance of unoccupied seats around him in the stadium. "Nice work City," he penned sarcastically in the post, which the Football Away Days page also shared, adding: "Tickets cost over 70 quid for tonight's game at the Etihad against Aston Villa. Are fans being priced out of going to games? It's a shame to see so many empty seats, but at that price, can you blame them?" There is a cap on ticket pricing set at £30 by the Premier League for fans of away teams, which has remained the same since 2016. However, there is currently no limit on cost for those cheering on their own teams - although stadiums are operating at 99% capacity as a whole. With that in mind, fans protested outside the Etihad Stadium prior to kick off, meanwhile, with a leaflet handed out by protestors slamming the cheapest matchday tickets on offer - £71 for adults and £42 for children. "It looked terrible on TV to see so many empty seats," one disgruntled fan vented. "Keep pushing this with videos to highlight the outrageous prices these clubs want to charge now. More protests needed." A Manchester City supporter alleged: "You know attendances are dropping when the club are emailing season ticket holders telling them they can now purchase an additional three match tickets for pretty much every home game! Even had the same for the FA Cup semi final. It's ridiculous." Another football fan criticised those mocking City, however: "Imagine shaming folk for not paying £60-70 a ticket. Fans should be looking out for each other while our game is being taken away from us right in front of our eyes." Another individual expressed their concern: "This is a growing concern for the Premier League clubs. Selling nearly all their tickets on websites for the highest price. This will price out the local fans who made the club in the first place. Attracting more and more tourists and this will lead to less of an atmosphere." Meanwhile, a different City fan provided some context: "For context this game was sold out. It was then rearranged to a Tuesday night in Easter holidays so season ticket holders who can't go put their ticket on the exchange, the club attempt to resell them and make a profit. I'd get £48 back for my ticket and the club sells it for £71." And in another blast, a fellow supporter raged: "That video is in Block 304. The seats that are empty aren't season ticket holders. They have different people in them every week. If City carry on like this, they better get used to more empty seats and less revenue. Not helped by the decision not to sell any new season tickets." It comes after Manchester City confirmed all ticket prices would remain the same next season. A statement released earlier this month read: "Manchester City can confirm that general admission season ticket and Premier League match-by-match ticket prices will be frozen for the 2025/26 season. "This follows the club's latest consultation meeting with its elected fan engagement programme, City Matters, and reflects the positive and constructive dialogue that has taken place over recent weeks." Manchester City and Premier League were invited to comment.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pep Guardiola's bizarre 'belongs to Liverpool' comment is factually incorrect
Manchester City took another step towards salvaging its disappointing Premier League campaign as the Etihad Stadium club scored an injury time winner to damage Aston Villa's hopes of Champions League qualification. City and Villa are among five teams fighting for three spots at Europe's top table next season, with Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Chelsea also eyeing top-five finishes that would be enough to make it into the Champions League next season. Matheus Nunes' last-gasp strike prompted wild celebrations from a previously enraged Pep Guardiola, who said after the game that City was "not used to" scoring dramatic late winners, declaring that "the last-minute win belongs to Liverpool." It was a strange comment considering City and Liverpool are not exactly in direct competition at this moment in time, and it was made stranger by the fact that it's simply not true. READ MORE: How much Liverpool can expect in Premier League prize money ahead of title win READ MORE: Cafu wades in on Trent Alexander-Arnold transfer to Real Madrid - 'They said same about me' Liverpool has won only one game in injury time this season — the 2-0 victory over Brentford when Darwin Nunez emerged as substitute to score twice after the 90-minute mark — while City has in fact enjoyed two injury time winners in the league: the Nunes one against Villa, and a 95th-minute John Stones goal to secure a 2-1 victory over Wolves in October. Stones also scored a 98th-minute equalizer against Arsenal in September, while Liverpool has not earned any draws through injury time goals. Nunez's goals are the only injury-time goals that Liverpool has scored in the league this season that ultimately changed the final outcome of the match. Virgil van Dijk's recent winner against West Ham came in the 89th minute, while Diogo Jota scored in the 86th minute to rescue a point against Fulham in December. Meanwhile, both Liverpool and City have dropped points after conceding goals in the 90th minute or later on two occasions this season. Liverpool shipped a 90th-minute Fabian Schar equalizer to draw 3-3 at Newcastle in December, before James Tarkowski's 98th-minute strike secured a 2-2 draw for Everton in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park. City, meanwhile, conceded a 90th-minute Amad goal to lose to Manchester United in December, having only let its lead slip two minutes earlier when Bruno Fernandes scored a penalty. A month later, Christian Norgard completed a Brentford comeback against City, scoring in the 92nd-minute to secure a 2-2 draw for the Bees. Both City and Liverpool have been involved in their fair share of late drama this season, but it is in fact City that has gained more points from goals scored from the 90-minute mark onwards (City's five to Liverpool's two), while Liverpool has also dropped more points than City from goals conceded from the 90-minute mark onwards (Liverpool's four to City's three).
BBC News
23-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Football is emotion' - what Pep Guardiola said
Man City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to Sky Sports after Tuesday's 2-1 win over Aston Villa: "I'm really happy. We're in the last four in the last five games and beat a Champions League contender for qualification."Aston Villa is a team to the last man, one of the top teams in Europe. We played really good. We were aggressive in our duels - the back four was unbelievable."Football is emotion. For the fans, players, we have a lot of pressure for the club to go to the Champions League."The players behave unbelievably - we are so pleased."The season has been bad. It happens. Sometimes you have bad seasons. The level of the teams [in the Premier League] is outstanding."On Matheus Nunes' late winner: "The action from Jeremy Doku - he can create something with his pace. He had right players in the box."Did you know?City scored their latest match-winning Premier League goal at Etihad Stadium (93:21) since November 2022 against Fulham (94:34).Matheus Nunes scored only his second goal in his 76 Premier League appearances, after April 2023 for Wolves against de Bruyne created six chances in this match, with no other player creating more than two. It was the 60th time he has created 5 or more chances in a single Premier League game - the most times on Opta's records (from 2003-04).City have conceded 22 goals at Etihad Stadium in the Premier League this season - only in 2003-04, their first season at the ground, have they conceded more goals in a campaign (24).
The Independent
22-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Matheus Nunes the unlikely hero as Man City take step towards Champions League
Matheus Nunes' stoppage-time strike sealed Manchester City a potentially crucial win against top-five rivals Aston Villa as the quest for Champions League qualification intensifies. Neither side could afford a slip-up on Tuesday as the FA Cup semi-finalists sought to head to Wembley on the back of an important result in the battle to reach European football's top table. Marcus Rashford looked to have secured Villa a point after the forward, on loan from Manchester United, scored from the spot shortly after Emiliano Martinez allowed a Bernardo Silva strike to creep home early in the first half. City dominated possession and the shot count, with Nunes converting substitute Jeremy Doku's low cross to secure victory in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Pep Guardiola's men moved up third on 61 points after Tuesday's triumph, with Unai Emery's Villa four points back in seventh after losing in the league for the first time since February.
