Soucek and Bowen give West Ham first league win at Old Trafford since 2007
London, May 11: A dramatic weekend of Premier League football unfolded with high stakes and bigger implications across the table. From Manchester United’s continued slide into irrelevance, to Crystal Palace’s soaring momentum ahead of their FA Cup final, the round of fixtures delivered a mix of despair and delight.
Newcastle edged closer to a return to the Champions League, while Nottingham Forest’s top-five hopes were dented by a late Leicester equaliser. Here’s how the weekend action played out, match by match.
West Ham Compound United’s Misery at Old Trafford
Manchester United’s faltering Premier League campaign hit a new low as West Ham United secured a comfortable 2-0 victory at Old Trafford. Goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen ensured the Hammers snapped an eight-game winless league run, while United slumped to a seventh consecutive match without victory — equalling their worst Premier League run from 1992.
Ruben Amorim’s men, who have pinned all hopes on their upcoming Europa League final against Tottenham, looked listless and lacked urgency. With five potential starters for the Bilbao showdown in the line-up, United failed to produce any spark. Injuries added to their woes as Leny Yoro hobbled off with a foot problem, raising fresh selection concerns.
West Ham, meanwhile, displayed clinical intent. Mohammed Kudus starred with two assists as Soucek and Bowen converted with ease. For United, Rasmus Hojlund and Harry Maguire came closest, only to be denied by an outstanding Alphonse Areola.
Amid talks of summer reinforcements including Matheus Cunha and Liam Delap, Amorim’s side faces the grim reality of a 13th-place finish — their worst top-flight campaign since 1973-74.
Palace Sweep Spurs Aside to Match Points Record
Crystal Palace warmed up for their FA Cup final against Manchester City with a dominant 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in a London derby. Eberechi Eze struck twice — once in each half — as the Eagles equalled their Premier League record points tally of 49 with two games to spare.
Palace were relentless from the start, having two goals disallowed and hitting the bar before Eze finally put them ahead just before half-time. His second, a composed finish following a neat exchange with Ismaila Sarr, sealed the result just after the break.
While Spurs, fielding a heavily rotated side, slumped to a club-record 20th league defeat, Palace continue to surge under Oliver Glasner. With fixtures remaining against Wolves and Liverpool, the Eagles are well-placed for their best-ever Premier League finish. All eyes now turn to Wembley, where Glasner’s men look to lift the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
Late Leicester Blow Dents Forest’s CL Dreams
Nottingham Forest’s top-five hopes took a serious hit after a dramatic 2-2 draw at home to already-relegated Leicester City. Facundo Buonanotte’s late equaliser stunned the City Ground, denying Forest a vital win.
Conor Coady opened the scoring for Leicester with his first league goal for the club, but Forest responded through Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood, who looked to have completed the turnaround.
However, sloppy defending in the closing stages allowed Buonanotte to dance through and level the tie.
The result leaves Forest in seventh, one point behind fifth-placed Chelsea, missing a golden opportunity to leapfrog into a Champions League spot.
Newcastle Close in on Champions League Spot
Newcastle United moved into pole position for Champions League qualification after a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Chelsea at St James’ Park. Sandro Tonali’s early goal set the tone before Bruno Guimaraes’ deflected effort sealed it late on.
Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson was sent off in the first half for an elbow on Sven Botman, leaving the visitors with a mountain to climb. Despite second-half pressure and chances from Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez, Newcastle held firm, with keeper Nick Pope producing key saves and Dan Burn marshalling the backline superbly.
Eddie Howe’s side now sit third with two games left — away to Arsenal and home to Everton — as they chase a return to Europe’s elite competition. The Tyneside club already have the Carabao Cup in the bag this season, and Champions League football looks set to follow. (Agencies)