Chelsea to give youth a chance, Ipswich look to prolong the inevitable and Jamie Vardy begins his swansong

Tyrique George has caught the eye since breaking into Chelsea’s first team. A homegrown talent, the 19-year-old winger has done well in his Conference League outings and is in contention for his first start in the league when Enzo Maresca’s side host Everton in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off. Fast, direct and sharp on the ball, George has quickly become a favourite with supporters and he lifted some of the pressure off Maresca after coming off the bench to score an excellent equaliser in Chelsea’s comeback win at Fulham last weekend. Thrown on as a striker, George made it 1-1 with a fine shot from the edge of the area. It was the latest in a series of positive contributions from the teenager. His enthusiasm could make a difference against Everton. Jacob Steinberg

Chelsea v Everton, Premier League, Saturday 12.30pm (all times BST)

Brighton v West Ham, Premier League, Saturday 3pm

Newcastle v Ipswich, Premier League, Saturday 3pm

Southampton v Fulham, Premier League, Saturday 3pm

• Forward will not make decision on future before June
• Rashford does not want to join a team in London

Marcus Rashford will decide his future no earlier than mid-June, with his preference being to leave Manchester United for Champions League club, though the forward does not wish to join a London team.

His camp have also ruled out an exchange with any player who may be of interest to United, such as Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, owing to the complexities of those deals.

• Wolves forward is Amorim’s prime target at No 10
• Sale of Rashford would allow United to finance deal

Manchester United are pushing to sign the Wolves forward Matheus Cunha but may have to raise the money to trigger his £62.5m release clause by selling Marcus Rashford or other players.

Ruben Amorim has identified the 25-year-old as his prime target for the No 10 berth, one of the head coach’s two priority positions, along with a centre-forward.

The coverage of Manchester United’s win over Lyon last week was just the latest sign that fandom is consuming everything

Impartiality fan here – for my sins! – but you have to say Robbie Savage and Rio Ferdinand during the closing minutes of Manchester United v Lyon on Thursday night were absolute class. It all starts in the 118th minute, with United 6-5 down on aggregate, and the TNT Sports camera lingering on the face of a crying boy in the crowd. “Let’s hope we can put a smile on that young man’s face by the time we finish,” the commentator Darren Fletcher says.

And it’s worth unpacking those 17 words, because contained within them are at least three layers of assumption. Foremost among which is the assumption that it would be a good thing, all round, if United won. The child is crying. Is there any cause more catholic or universal, any image more reliably guaranteed to tug at the tear ducts, than a crying child? The coefficient can wait for now.

Who should be on Arne Slot’s shopping list, Chelsea’s unlikely hero and an angry Ollie Watkins

Arne Slot is set to win the Premier League but at the same time knows he needs to make plenty of improvements within his squad this summer. One key acquisition will be a new striker. Darwin Núñez was not brought off the bench at Leicester despite Liverpool misfiring, Diogo Jota’s fitness is a constant concern and Luis Díaz, who started on Sunday, does not give off the impression of being a No 9. In tight matches, Mohamed Salah has often been the man to separate them from opponents. They had 28 shots at the King Power Stadium but needed a full-back to score the winner. Núñez will almost certainly depart Anfield to open up a spot for a superior No 9 but they do not come cheap. Plans will be afoot but they know they cannot get it wrong twice, having spent more than £80m on the Uruguayan who has never looked like delivering. Will Unwin

Match report: Leicester 0-1 Liverpool

Match report: Ipswich 0-4 Arsenal

Match report: Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle

Match report: Manchester United 0-1 Wolves

Match report: Fulham 1-2 Chelsea

Match report: Everton 0-2 Manchester City

Match report: Brentford 4-2 Brighton

The fine tidings for Manchester United are that they are safe from relegation, the grim ones are that this came despite a 15th defeat of a dismal Premier League campaign.

Wolves’ winner was simple: on 77 minutes Pablo Sarabia, on as a substitute only 120 seconds before, placed a 20-yard free-kick sweetly to André Onana’s left, Christian Eriksen having been culpable for the foul.

The Australian could leave after Spurs win the Europa League, while United may stick with their coach after winning nothing

Erik ten Hag has gone, but his shadow looms over English football still. The mistake was understandable enough: high on the euphoria of beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final, Manchester United renewed his contract. Three months into the new season, more than £180m spent on summer transfers, Ten Hag was dismissed with United 14th in the table on 11 points from nine games.

The sporting director, Dan Ashworth, and various members of Ten Hag’s backroom staff also left, at a total cost of £14.5m. Or, to put it another way, keeping Ten Hag cost United £200m and in effect undermined this season. Nobody wants to be caught in the Ten Hag trap.

Emergency strike duo reeling in Lyon was electrifying while also showing deep flaws in Ruben Amorim’s squad

Bedlam, pandemonium, ecstasy and simply wow: Manchester United’s three-goal, six-minute (and 34 seconds) blockbuster extra-time comeback from 4-2 down is one for the ages, and a thrilling advertisement for the heart-stopping drama football can generate.

Yet if the Harry Maguire header that KO’d Lyon was a last, heroic act of a pell-mell, childhood-like jumpers-for-goalposts victory, it should also clang alarm bells for the fragile unit Ruben Amorim oversees, and cause a serious reality check.

• Semi-final against Athletic Bilbao now the priority
• Amass, Obi and Heaven in line to get more game time

Ruben Amorim will use younger players in Manchester United’s next three Premier League fixtures as he prioritises the Europa League semi-final against Athletic Bilbao.

United play at Athletic on 1 May and host the return a week later. Matches against Wolves and Bournemouth precede the first leg and United go to Brentford in between the European fixtures.

• ‘I was watching the 1999 documentary … A great night’
• United score three goals in extra time to progress in Europa League

After Manchester United scored three times in the last seven minutes of extra time to knock Lyon out and progress to a Europa League semi-final versus Athletic Bilbao, Ruben Amorim stated he had drawn on the 1999 Champions League final triumph over Bayern Munich.

Losing 1-0 going into added time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær claimed European glory for United 26 years ago.

Brighton hope their injury problems ease, Palace must stem the tide and Forest could do with Chris Wood fully fit

Considering the length of Brighton’s injury list, Fabian Hürzeler will be desperate to get Kaoru Mitoma back in time for Saturday’s trip to west London. The Japanese winger sustained a heel injury against Crystal Palace, ruling him out of the draw with Leicester. It was the first time he had missed a Premier League game all season after making 31 appearances. Whether he will be available against Brentford is yet to be seen but, with three teenagers on the bench last weekend, the more experience Hürzeler can name on the teamsheet the better. James Milner, Igor Julio, Georginio Rutter, Adam Webster, Ferdi Kadioglu and Tariq Lamptey are all out, while the goalkeeper Jason Steele returned to action for the under-21s this week but Carl Rushworth will remain the backup to Bart Verbruggen for now. If Mitoma can recover in time, it will be a timely boost as Hürzeler’s side fight for a European place. Will Unwin

Brentford v Brighton, Saturday 3pm (all times BST)

Crystal Palace v Bournemouth, Saturday 3pm

Everton v Manchester City, Saturday 3pm

West Ham v Southampton, Saturday 3pm

Manchester United unveiled a giant tifo that declared “Never Gonna Stop”, then did precisely this by knocking out 10-man Lyon in an electrifying end to extra time that ranks second in the club’s pantheon of late, late continental finishes.

For those here the drama of minutes 114-120 (+34 seconds) will never be forgotten. At this juncture United had gone 4-2 down to a Rayan Cherki strike and an Alexandre Lacazette penalty (on 104 and 109 minutes) that had the French side leading 6-4 on aggregate and apparently dumping Ruben Amorim’s men out of Europe.

• Europa League updates, 8pm BST kick-off (first leg: 2-2)
• Live scoreboard | Read Football Daily | And ">email Scott

… and if that doesn’t augur well enough … United have made it through on 14 of the 20 occasions they’ve drawn the first leg of a European knockout tie away. Furthermore, on the one occasion they’ve drawn the first leg away 2-2, in the 2022-23 Europa League against Barcelona, they went on to win the second leg 2-1. So, a 100% record in this exact situation then, which compares very favourably with Lyon’s own 100% record: the French club have lost on all nine of the previous occasions they’ve drawn the first leg of a European tie at home. History firmly on United’s side all right.

History is firmly on Manchester United’s side tonight. Lyon have visited Old Trafford on two previous occasions, and lost both times. In the Champions League groups in 2004-05, Ruud van Nistelrooy scored the winner in a 2-1 win, after Gary Neville’s opening goal had been cancelled out by Mahamadou Diarra. Three seasons later, in the 2007-08 Champions League round of 16, Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal was enough. Why not relive those matches with ye olde reports?

They may not win end-of-year awards, but these players have been essential for their teams

By WhoScored

Arsenal’s decision not to sign a striker in January could have come back to haunt them. Gabriel Jesus has been absent since the turn of the year and Kai Havertz suffered a torn hamstring in February, leaving them short in the final third. Mikel Merino filled the void admirably. Indeed, only Havertz (nine) has more league goals for the club this season than Merino (six), who scored in important wins over Leicester, Chelsea and Fulham. Fans will want the club to invest in the summer but Merino has done remarkably well, given he had not played up front since he was nine years old.

• Manchester United goalkeeper back in goal on Thursday
• ‘We need to improve every position. Keeper is the same’

Ruben Amorim will reinstate André Onana for Manchester United’s Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon but admits a new goalkeeper may be signed in the summer because “every position” will be evaluated.

Amorim rested Onana and selected Altay Bayindir for Sunday’s 4-1 defeat by Newcastle at St James’ Park after the Cameroonian was culpable for Lyon’s goals in last week’s 2-2 draw in the opening leg. However, the head coach will start Onana in Thursday’s return at Old Trafford as United seek to progress to a semi-final against Rangers or Athletic Bilbao.

Our cartoonist looks ahead to crunch ties in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League

• Buy copies of David’s cartoons in our Print Shop
• And get David’s new book, Chaos in the Box, now

Wolves’ revival continues, Jadon Sancho needs to show more consistency and Fabian Hürzeler backs his captain

• Premier League top scorers: the latest standings

Among several excellent individual performances, it was Newcastle’s collective endeavour that was most impressive against Manchester United, the home side’s press rarely giving their opponents a chance to settle on the ball. As a result the visitors kept coughing it up in dangerous positions, and this was where the game was won. None of the home side’s goals involved them crossing the halfway line, and the amount of time they spent in possession in the buildup to each of them was, in order of them being scored, eight seconds (with four players touching the ball), nine seconds (also four players), five seconds (one player) and three seconds (two players). More than a fifth of their total ball recoveries, 12 of them in all, took place in their attacking third, four of which led to goals; the equivalent figures for the visitors were two, and 4.3%. Simon Burnton

Match report: Newcastle 4-1 Manchester United

Match report: Liverpool 2-1 West Ham

Match report: Wolves 4-2 Tottenham

• No update on condition but Howe well enough to watch
• Assistant Tindall took charge for Manchester United win

Eddie Howe remains in hospital with an unspecified illness but was well enough to watch on television as his Newcastle side beat Manchester United 4-1 at St James’ Park yesterdayon Sunday.

Jason Tindall, his assistant who took charge in the home technical area, said he was able to offer no update on Howe’s condition but added that he had received a congratulatory post‑match text from the manager.

Harvey Barnes’ double set up a convincing win and moved Newcastle up to fourth in the Premier League

Hey Jude rings out around St James’ Park. KEEGAN, says a tifo in the stands. “He saved us in 82,” adds a banner, “he entertained us in 92.”

In a dramatic development, I have received an email. “G’Day Tim,” says Chris Paraskevas. “Hope you’re well!” I am, thanks, hope you are too. “And seriously, sending best wishes to Toon Legend® Eddie Howe, who also seems like a top bloke!

No one knew if Eddie Howe was well enough to watch his Newcastle players from the hospital bed he has occupied since Friday night but they ultimately put on the sort of show he would have relished.

As Thomas Tuchel, England’s head coach, took a seat in the directors’ box, Tino Livramento pressed his international claims with an excellent game out of position at left-back as goals from the similarly outstanding Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes (two) and Bruno Guimarães lifted Newcastle to fourth in the table. A Champions League place appears well within their grasp.