Europa League Finalists Suffer Home Defeats in Thrilling Premier League Weekend

Manchester United and Tottenham are now the two teams marking the relegation zone in the Premier League. Despite having secured their place in the league and preparing for the Europa League final on May 21 at San Mamés, both teams suffered home defeats this Sunday. The inconsistent performances of the teams managed by Rúben Amorim and Arne Postecoglou continue, and it seems both are risking their season on a single game. One will play in the Champions League next year, while the other will have to face the embarrassment of this season.

With most Premier League matters settled, United and Tottenham are not striving to improve their image or climb the standings. The 'Red Devils' fell 0-2 to West Ham, a team that surpasses them in the table with this victory. The Portuguese manager experimented with a lineup mixing key players with less regular ones, and the result was disastrous. Goals from Soucek and Bowen went unanswered by the home side.

In London, Tottenham also lost 0-2, this time to Crystal Palace. The hosts rotated more than United, but their performance was much worse. Eze's brace was barely sufficient, given Palace's dominance. Both teams need to show a much more competitive side if they want to salvage their season, although these league matches do not suggest they are stepping up their game.

The race for Champions League qualification was the highlight of the weekend in England, with the match of the day being the 2-2 draw between Liverpool, the champions, and Arsenal, the Champions League semi-finalists. The 'Gunners' struggled to recover from their European defeat to PSG, but managed to come back from a 2-0 first-half deficit thanks to goals from Gakpo and Luis Díaz.

Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino were responsible for equalising the score. The Spanish striker was sent off, and Liverpool's 3-2 winner was disallowed at the last moment. This draw brings Mikel Arteta's side closer to securing another chance to compete in the tournament that has brought Arsenal so much joy this season.

There have been significant developments in the race for Europe's top competition this week. Newcastle defeated Chelsea 2-0 in a direct clash, taking a significant step towards their goal. Next weekend, Arsenal and Newcastle (second versus third) will face off in a crucial match for Champions League qualification.

Manchester City, managed by Guardiola, will be keeping an eye on that encounter, having drawn 0-0 against the bottom team this weekend. City must first play the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace, but they will not lose sight of their next match against Bournemouth, as the teams below are just two points behind, and failing to secure points could lead to a critical situation.

Aston Villa occupies a Europa League spot, tied at 63 points with Chelsea, who hold the fifth place that guarantees Champions League access. Nottingham Forest slipped by drawing at home against relegated Leicester, and the final two Premier League rounds will determine which teams deserve to play in the Champions League next season.