EPL: Chelsea beat Brighton to move to sixth place; United back to winning ways
Cole Palmer’s brilliant season with Chelsea continued as his goal helped the Blues boost their European qualification hopes with a win at Brighton in the Premier League as Man United also snapped up their poor run of games with win over Newcastle United.
Palmer netted his 22nd league strike of the season, meeting Marc Cucurella’s cross with a looping header into the far corner in the 34th minute.
And the visitors added a second 14 minutes after the restart when Christopher Nkunku coolly dispatched Malo Gusto’s cutback.
Having been so dominant Chelsea gifted Brighton a way back into the game when substitute Reece James – playing just his second match in 2024 after coming back from a long-term injury – was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Joao Pedro.
In the 97th-minute Danny Welbeck netted to halve the deficit, tapping in a Pedro cross, but the visitors held on.
Chelsea moved up to sixth in the table and currently sit in a Europa League spot.
They will guarantee a place in Europe next season if they claim a point at home to Bournemouth on the final day.
Brighton fell to a seventh defeat in ninth matches but remain in 10th place.
Palmer is one of the signings of the season. Before he joined Chelsea from Manchester City in the summer, the 22-year-old had never scored in the top flight.
In this campaign he has managed 22 goals and 10 assists in 33 league games.
With a three-point gap to Tottenham, Mauricio Pochettino’s side could even finish the season as high as fifth if results fall their way on Sunday.
It would mark an incredible recovery as the Blues were ninth in the league and 13 points behind Spurs when they lost 5-0 to Arsenal last month.
Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund celebrates scoring their third goal with Bruno Fernandes REUTERS/Molly Darlington
Rasmus Hojlund broke his 10-game scoring drought to seal victory for Manchester United in a thrilling Old Trafford encounter with Newcastle.
Anything other than a win for Erik ten Hag’s side would have condemned them to their lowest league finish in 34 years.
Instead, they go into the final day needing to better Newcastle’s result to claim a place in next season’s Uefa Conference League, although they will qualify for the Europa League if they beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley on 25 May.
Kobbie Mainoo put the home side in front after 31 minutes when he applied a cool finish from 10 yards after being played onside by Kieran Trippier.
Anthony Gordon levelled four minutes after the restart and Manchester United needed a brilliant tackle from Sofyan Amrabat to stop them from going behind as Alexander Isak failed to finish a three-on-one counter.
Amad Diallo drove home his first Premier League goal just before the hour mark as Newcastle failed to clear a corner to put Manchester United back in front, although Eddie Howe’s visitors were inches away from an equaliser as Miguel Almiron just failed to turn home a low cross from the excellent Gordon at the far post.
It was left to Hojlund to settle home nerves, stepping to his right before sending a low finish into the bottom corner for his 15th goal of the season.
However those nerves still jangled a bit, as Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall fired home from the edge of the box in the second minute of stoppage time but the home side held on.
Newcastle need a final-day win at Brentford to be certain of a top-seven finish.
Newcastle’s appalling Old Trafford record gets no better and on the journey back to the North East they will reflect on a chance missed to get the draw they craved.
Newcastle have now won once in 29 visits to this stadium and European qualification now relies on the failings of others.
