Premier League Matchweek 29 and EFL Cup final Review

This weekend saw the League Cup final and an action-packed Matchweek 29 in the Premier League, featuring moments of brilliance, tension, and dramatic twists. Manchester City suffered another setback against Brighton in a high-stakes clash, while Chelsea stumbled at Arsenal. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest extended their lead over Chelsea and are now in their best position yet to secure Champions League qualification. Here’s a detailed look at the key results, analyses of the weekend’s matches, and the EFL Cup final between Newcastle and Liverpool.

Manchester City held by Brighton in a thrilling encounter.

Right from kick-off, Manchester City applied high pressing and immediately put Brighton’s defence under pressure. True to their possession-based philosophy, Brighton attempted to play out from the back but left themselves exposed. In the 18th minute, Omar Marmoush, highly active down the left flank, won a penalty after a challenge from Adam Webster. Erling Haaland stepped up and coolly slotted past Jason Steele to put City ahead.

Brighton, however, showed great resilience and responded in style. Just after the half-hour mark, Pervis Estupiñán curled a stunning free-kick into the top corner, leaving Stefan Ortega, standing in for Ederson – helpless.

City regained the lead early in the second half when Marmoush unleashed a precise strike from the edge of the area, the ball clipping the post on its way in. But Brighton refused to back down and capitalised on a defensive mix-up. A powerful cross from Simon Adingra forced an own goal from Abdukodir Khusanov in the 68th minute, bringing the Seagulls level.

Brighton pressed for a late winner, with Carlos Baleba coming closest, but his effort drifted wide. City dropped two crucial points, while Brighton reaffirmed their ability to compete with the league’s elite. The draw leaves City fifth, with Brighton lurking just a point behind.

Nottingham Forest tighten grip on third place.

Nottingham Forest continued their impressive run with a commanding 4-2 victory over Ipswich Town. This result strengthens Nuno Espírito Santo’s side in third place, five points clear of Chelsea, reinforcing their European ambitions.

Forest dominated from the outset, pressing high and pinning Ipswich deep in their own half. Their aggressive approach paid off when Nikola Milenkovic powered home a header from a Morgan Gibbs-White corner in the 35th minute. Four minutes later, a defensive lapse allowed Anthony Elanga to race through and double Forest’s lead. Just before half-time, Elanga struck again, meeting a pinpoint cross from Callum Hudson-Odoi to make it 3-0.

Ipswich showed some fight in the second half, as Jens Cajuste pulled one back with a well-placed low drive in the 67th minute. However, their hopes of a comeback were short-lived, as Jota Silva capitalised on a poor clearance to add a fourth for Forest less than ten minutes later. A late goal from George Hirst gave Ipswich some consolation, but it wasn’t enough to alter the outcome.

This defeat, Ipswich’s 18th of the season, leaves them in deep trouble, sitting nine points adrift of safety.

Arsenal return to winning ways against Chelsea thanks to Merino.

Arsenal bounced back from a three-game winless streak with a crucial 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the London derby. With Chelsea missing Cole Palmer, their attacking creativity suffered, allowing Arsenal to take control. The Gunners cemented their second-place position, four points clear of Nottingham Forest but still 12 points behind Liverpool.

From the outset, Arsenal dominated, with Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli looking lively. Declan Rice squandered a great chance before Mikel Merino broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, heading home Martin Ødegaard’s corner past Robert Sanchez.

Chelsea struggled to respond and only registered their first real attempt in the 37th minute when Marc Cucurella’s shot, following a David Raya blunder, flashed narrowly wide.

Arsenal managed the game well in the second half, with Merino nearly grabbing a second with a volley that forced a sharp save from Sanchez. Chelsea pushed late on, but their limited attacking threat, highlighted by a tame header from Cucurella, was never enough to trouble Arsenal’s defence.

Chelsea remain fourth but now face increasing pressure from Manchester City, Newcastle, and Brighton, who are all within three points.

Newcastle end 70-year wait with League Cup triumph.

Newcastle finally ended their long trophy drought by winning the EFL Cup with a 2-0 victory over Liverpool at Wembley. This marks the Magpies’ first major silverware since the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and their first domestic title since the 1955 FA Cup.

Eddie Howe’s side delivered a superb performance, outplaying a fatigued Liverpool team that had endured a gruelling 120-minute Champions League clash against PSG just days earlier. Newcastle set the tempo from the start, and Dan Burn, a boyhood Newcastle fan and academy graduate, opened the scoring with a towering header from a corner in the 35th minute. The 6ft 6in defender, named man of the match, enjoyed a dream week, scoring in a cup final for his boyhood club just two days after receiving his first England call-up.

Liverpool struggled to respond, with Mohamed Salah anonymous throughout, unable to cope with Newcastle’s physical intensity. The Reds resorted to an uncharacteristic long-ball approach, playing into the hands of Newcastle’s solid defence.

The Magpies sealed victory in the second half when Alexander Isak capitalised on slack marking down Liverpool’s left flank to slot home. Federico Chiesa added a third late on, but the goal was merely decorative as Newcastle comfortably saw out the win.

This historic triumph secures Newcastle a spot in next season’s UEFA Europa Conference League and rewards Eddie Howe for his transformative work since taking charge in 2021. Meanwhile, Liverpool’s defeat highlights a challenging end to the season, with fatigue and a lack of attacking depth proving costly.

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