Arsenal hold Liverpool, Newcastle boost Champions League hopes

Arsenal fought back from two goals down to rescue a valuable 2-2 draw against Liverpool as the Gunners moved a step closer to qualifying for the Champions League on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta’s side trailed to first-half goals from Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz at Anfield.

But Gabriel Martinelli reduced the deficit before Mikel Merino grabbed the visitors’ equaliser.

Although Merino was sent off for a second booking with 11 minutes left, Arsenal clung on for a vital point in the battle for a top-five finish in the Premier League.

Second-placed Arsenal sit five points clear of sixth-placed Aston Villa.

They face a crucial clash with third-placed Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium next week before travelling to relegated Southampton on the last day of the season.

With a vastly superior goal difference to all their top-five rivals, Arsenal should need just one more point to secure a Champions League berth despite winning only one of their last six league games.

What could have been a dramatic title decider had become irrelevant to champions Liverpool after they wrapped up their record-equalling 20th English crown two weeks ago.

Arsenal’s failure to keep pace with Liverpool had turned the title race into a procession, but the Gunners arrived at Anfield with far more still at stake.

They were still licking their wounds after being dumped out of this season’s Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final second leg on Wednesday.

Earlier, Newcastle took a huge step towards qualifying for the Champions League with a vital 2-0 victory over top-five rivals Chelsea, while Nottingham Forest were held to a costly 2-2 draw by Leicester on Sunday.

Sandro Tonali put Newcastle ahead after just two minutes at St James’ Park before Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson was sent off for an elbow on Sven Botman late in the first half.

Bruno Guimaraes struck in stoppage time to secure the Magpies’ seventh win from their last nine league games and lift them into third place in the Premier League.

Eddie Howe’s side, aiming to feature in the Champions League for the second time in three seasons, are three points clear of sixth-placed Aston Villa in the race for a top-five finish.

Fifth-placed Chelsea’s first defeat in seven league games leaves their bid to return to Europe’s elite club competition in the balance.

The Blues are level on points with sixth-placed Aston Villa and one ahead of seventh-placed Forest.

With Manchester United at home and Forest away left on their schedule, Enzo Maresca’s UEFA Conference League finalists face a tense finish to their top-five challenge.

Forest suffered a massive setback in their Champions League bid as relegated Leicester snatched a draw at the City Ground.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side fell behind in the 16th minute when Leicester defender Conor Coady headed home the rebound after Matz Sels saved Bilal El Khannouss’s shot. Morgan Gibbs-White netted with a header from Anthony Elanga’s free-kick in the 25th minute.

And Gibbs-White followed his first goal in 12 games by delivering a perfect cross for Chris Wood to put Forest in front with a diving header in the 56th minute. But Leicester rocked their midlands rivals in the 81st minute as Facundo Buonanotte equalised with a fierce finish.

Manchester United suffered a 2-0 home loss to West Ham, marking a new low in their troubled league campaign.

United were back in action after crushing Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-final second leg on Thursday to set up an all-English final against Tottenham on May 21.

But Amorim has acknowledged United “can’t save anything from the Premier League” this term and once again they produced a wretched display as West Ham won for the first time in nine games.

Tomas Soucek’s 26th-minute tap-in from Mohammed Kudus’s cross gave West Ham the lead.

United lost Leny Yoro to a foot injury in the second half, raising doubts about the French defender’s chances of featuring in the Europa League final.

Jarrod Bowen converted Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s pass to grab the second goal in the 57th minute.

West Ham moved above United, who are languishing in 16th place as they face their lowest league finish since being relegated in 1973-74.

Tottenham fared no better after reaching the Europa League final as Crystal Palace won 2-0 in north London.

Agence France-Presse