With defeat at Everton, Arsenal’s dismal away form could cost them top-four place

Everton hand Arsenal a 1-0 defeat, leaving them clinging to the 4th spot in the table by goal differential alone.

Everton hand Arsenal a 1-0 defeat, leaving them clinging to the 4th spot in the table by goal differential alone.

Everton hand Arsenal a 1-0 defeat, leaving them clinging to the 4th spot in the table by goal differential alone.

Following Arsenal’s defeat at Everton, ESPN FC’s Steve Nicol and Alejandro Moreno express their concerns with Arsenal’s top-four push.

LIVERPOOL, England — It turns out that old habits die hard.

Arsenal would have put themselves resoundingly in the driver’s seat for a top-four place if they had won at Everton, but instead produced a reminder of every possible reason to doubt them by falling to a 1-0 defeat. This was a listless, lifeless non-performance and it is far from the first time that can be said for their away displays. Their form on the road is a grave problem and, unless it is rectified in the next month, Champions…

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Man City cruise past Brighton but will need to step it up a gear or two to achieve a historic Quadruple

Manchester City advance to the FA Cup final with their 1-0 win over plucky Brighton, keeping their quadruple hopes very much alive.
If Manchester City achieve the Quadruple this season, their FA Cup semifinal victory against Brighton will go down as the day that they caught their breath before the final charge to the summit.

Twenty years ago, when Manchester United overcame Arsenal in an FA Cup semifinal en route to the Treble, it turned out to be a clash of the ages — a two-game epic, won by Ryan Giggs’ stunning solo goal, which propelled Sir Alex Ferguson’s team to what at the time looked to be an unmatchable achievement.

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City…

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Bayern vs. Dortmund was no contest as Bundesliga giants seized control of title race with five-goal rout

Bayern seized on Dortmund’s weaknesses from the kickoff to arguably seize control of the title race with six games left.

MUNICH, Germany — “Gegen Bayern kann mal verlieren” (“You can lose against Bayern”) is what the hardcore home fans in the Allianz Arena south stand were chanting sarcastically at the final whistle. Yes, you can… but not like this. Not if you’re two points clear of the Reds at the top of the table with seven games to go and a big chance to win your first championship in seven years.

For all the good things the home side did in their 5-0 win — and there were many — it was mostly down to Borussia…

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Sergio Aguero’s fitness could be the key to Man City’s quadruple bid

Manchester City capitalized on two Fulham mistakes to leapfrog Liverpool and return to the top of the Premier League.

English Premier League: Sergio Aguero (27′) Fulham 0-2 Manchester City
LONDON — Anyone seeking definitive clues as to the destination of this season’s Premier League title could probably have taken the afternoon off, for Manchester City will not enjoy a more comfortable assignment than their 2-0 win vs. Fulham over the next six weeks.
Had the mood taken them on a sun-drenched day by the River Thames, they could have added handsomely to their goal difference, but it was hardly an occasion on which to operate at full throttle. What matters is that, with the season’s…

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Liverpool go top with win at Fulham, yet their form suggests title may be beyond them

James Milner dispatched a late penalty after Virgil van Dijk’s mistake had gifted Fulham an equalizer.

Virgil van Dijk and James Milner discuss the errors that led to Fulham’s goal and how Milner stayed composed for the winning penalty.

LONDON — On paper, this should have been a simple victory for Liverpool: the Premier League’s most rampant three-man attack against the Premier League’s most shambolic, error-prone defence.

In practice, it was considerably more complex. This turned into the archetypal Premier League test: away to relegation strugglers fighting for their lives, in a tight ground with home supporters on top of the players, in horrendous conditions that involved swirling wind, torrential rain, blasts of hailstones…

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Chelsea’s latest defeat a microcosm of their season, a massive blow to their top-four hopes

Everton pushed Chelsea’s chances of finishing in the top four further into jeopardy with goals from Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Steve Nicol shares his doubts on Chelsea’s top-four chances, citing their lack of chemistry and disconnectedness between midfield and defence.
LIVERPOOL, England — One step forward, two steps back. If Chelsea and Maurizio Sarri had felt the worst of a turbulent season was behind them, then the Blues’ 2-0 loss to Everton was a sobering reminder that the toughest reckoning may yet be to come. Chelsea, who for a time seemed to have been cleansed by the experience of their Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City, have stalled again at the worst possible moment. A place in the top four now lies squarely out of their hands and, in the eyes…

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Van Dijk proving to be the difference-maker Liverpool need on quest for the double

Steve Nicol credits Liverpool for their return to the final eight of the Champions League, despite not playing to the high standard they set last season.
MUNICH — It takes an extra-special player to inspire a team to Champions League glory, and during this decade, it has usually been Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi who has been the difference in terms of elevating his side above the rest. Only twice since 2010 has a team without Ronaldo or Messi won the Champions League — Chelsea in 2012 and Bayern Munich in 2013 — and it will take a great team, or an outstanding player, to prevent one of them from claiming another winners’ medal this season.
But…

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Van Dijk proving to be the difference-maker Liverpool need in quest for double

Steve Nicol credits Liverpool for their return to the final eight of the Champions League, despite not playing to the high standard they set last season.
MUNICH — It takes an extra-special player to inspire a team to Champions League glory, and during this decade, it has usually been Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi who has been the difference in terms of elevating his side above the rest. Only twice since 2010 has a team without Ronaldo or Messi won the Champions League — Chelsea in 2012 and Bayern Munich in 2013 — and it will take a great team, or an outstanding player, to prevent one of them from claiming another winners’ medal this season.
But…

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Liverpool’s Champions League progress down to Van Dijk, the game’s most expensive defender

Steve Nicol credits Liverpool for their return to the final eight of the Champions League, despite not playing to the high standard they set last season.
MUNICH — It takes an extra-special player to inspire a team to Champions League glory, and during this decade, it has usually been Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi who has been the difference in terms of elevating his side above the rest. Only twice since 2010 has a team without Ronaldo or Messi won the Champions League — Chelsea in 2012 and Bayern Munich in 2013 — and it will take a great team, or an outstanding player, to prevent one of them from claiming another winners’ medal this season.
But…

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