Liverpool leap closer to title with narrow Everton win

Liverpool claimed bragging rights on Merseyside with victory over rivals Everton and edged closer to lifting the Premier League title.

Arne Slot’s men require only 13 points from a possible 24 available to guarantee a deserved and record-equalling 20th top-flight triumph.

The Reds were being frustrated by Everton’s backline sitting deep, but claimed the three points courtesy of a moment of magic from Diogo Jota.

The Portuguese forward was on the periphery of the game but collected Luis Diaz’s cute backheel before showcasing dancing feet by jinking past challenges and slotting home.

Before the deadlock was broken, a moment of controversy was the main talking point with Everton defender James Tarkowski incredibly fortunate to stay on the pitch.

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Tarkowski received only a yellow card early on when he won the ball with a sliding challenge but caught Alexis Mac Allister on the knee with his studs with the follow-through.

The video assistant referee (VAR) decided not to upgrade the tackle to a red card and Dominik Szoboszlai curled the resulting free-kick narrowly wide, while the in-form Mohamed Salah headed straight at Jordan Pickford at the back post.

Beto had the Liverpool backline rattled and saw a goal ruled out for offside after outmuscling Virgil van Dijk.

The striker got the better of the Reds captain again, but this time could only hit the post when one-on-one with Caoimhin Kelleher.

Liverpool and their supporters looked to up the ante in the second period and Ryan Gravenberch’s stinging drive from range was pushed away by Pickford, but Jota’s 56th-minute strike made the difference.

Ancelotti says mission accomplished as Real Madrid reach cup final

It was mission accomplished, said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti after his side fought back from two-goals behind to snatch a rip-roaring 4-4 draw on Tuesday for a 5-4 aggregate win that put them through against Real Sociedad to the Copa del Rey final.

Ancelotti brushed off questions about a sub-par performance by Real Madrid and praised his players’ effort in what he considered a highly entertaining encounter.

“We have achieved our goal today which was to reach the final and there is not much time to think about it,” Ancelotti told a press conference.

“It was an entertaining game with some mistakes and a lot of good things. It was fun and we are in the final.

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“I never saw ourselves out of it because anything can happen at the Bernabeu. When we have to come from behind, we never give up. We never give up, especially at home, with the fans by our side.”

Ancelotti said David Alaba was not to blame after he deflected two balls into his own goal, calling it “bad luck” by the Austrian defender, but urged his defence to play with better focus moving forward.

“It’s not good to concede four goals in a game,” Ancelotti said.

“Right now we are a team that has a lot of effectiveness up-front, but little balance.

“However, we can’t ignore what we did in attack, scoring four goals against Real is not that easy. I think we are doing quite well.”

Real Madrid, who have won the Spanish Cup only once in over a decade, will play either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid in a mouth-watering final in Seville next month.

Atletico fought back to hold Barca to a thrilling 4-4 draw ahead of Wednesday’s second-leg in Madrid.

Saka’s stunning return powers Arsenal to victory over Fulham

Arsenal secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Fulham at the Emirates Stadium, with Bukayo Saka making a triumphant return from injury to score the decisive goal.

The match saw the Gunners dominate possession, but it was Fulham who came closest to scoring in the opening stages.

Arsenal struggled to break down their resolute defence early on, with Gabriel Martinelli having a goal ruled out for offside and several opportunities narrowly missed.

In the 37th minute, Mikel Merino gave Arsenal the lead, collecting a pass from Ethan Nwaneri to strike a low shot past Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno. The first half ended with Fulham unable to find an equaliser, despite a couple of dangerous moments.

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The turning point came just after the hour mark when Arsenal doubled their advantage. Gabriel Martinelli delivered a perfect cross, and Saka, making his return to action, rose to head home a brilliant goal. The Gunners were cruising with a comfortable 2-0 lead.

However, Fulham responded on added time when Rodrigo Muniz capitalised on a deflected shot to pull one back for the visitors. Despite the late pressure, Arsenal’s defence held firm, and the match finished 2-1 in their favour.

Saka’s return was a key moment, not only for the goal but also for the confidence he brought to the team, sealing another vital three points for Arsenal in their quest for the title.

Saka’s stunning return powers Arsenal to victory over Fulham