Football/Soccer 24-Hour Briefing
×Premier League Title Race
Arsenal espn.com answered title pressure with a resounding 4-1 derby win at Tottenham, delivering a message to their critics. Mikel Arteta espn.com said Arsenal "showed what we're made of" after feeling "ashamed" by their previous draw at Wolves. Gary Neville skysports.com believes Arsenal will have to win at the Etihad to become Premier League champions and is backing them to do it. Viktor Gyokeres bbc.com had his best game for Arsenal, bagging a brace to help his side go five points clear at the top.
Liverpool espn.com survived one of their worst performances of the season to snatch a last-gasp 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest. Alexis Mac Allister bbc.com scored a 97th-minute winner amid late drama at the City Ground. Arne Slot espn.com accepted his side's performance was "the worst we've played" but called them "the lucky ones" in a "game of fine margins." Vitor Pereira bbc.com said defeat "is not fair" on Forest, arguing "one point was a minimum" his side deserved.
Tottenham's Struggles
Spurs skysports.com must shed "bad habits" and "become serious," says interim manager Igor Tudor after their 4-1 thrashing by Arsenal. Tudor labelled Arsenal as the "best team in the world" and said the Premier League leaders gave his team a reality check. Gary Neville skysports.com warned Spurs' problems are no longer a one-off but a worrying pattern. Jamie Redknapp skysports.com said Arsenal are in a different league to Tottenham - and warned that could become reality with the threat of relegation looming.
Randal Kolo Muani skysports.com levelled for Tottenham straight from kick-off but Eberechi Eze bbc.com acrobatically gave Arsenal the lead. Kolo Muani's skysports.com equaliser was ruled out, with questions asked about the decision. Igor Tudor bbc.com remains confident of avoiding relegation despite the heavy defeat in his first game.
Other Premier League Results
Raul Jimenez bbc.com scored twice as Fulham ended a run of three consecutive defeats with a 3-1 win over Sunderland. Marco Silva bbc.com praised his side for being "clinical" and showing "maturity." Evann Guessand bbc.com scored a late winner as Crystal Palace beat 10-man Wolves 1-0 to claim their first home win since early November. Oliver Glasner bbc.com said it is "absolutely OK" to "face criticism" after some Crystal Palace fans questioned his future.
Ladislav Krejci skysports.com was sent off for delaying the restart as Wolves lost 1-0 at Selhurst Park. Rob Edwards bbc.com praised his side's performance but said "it feels harsh" for Wolves to leave with no points. Dean Henderson skysports.com saved Tolu Arokodare's penalty to keep the score level between Crystal Palace and Wolves. Wolves espn.com have reported "abhorrent and unlawful" racist abuse against striker Arokodare.
Scottish Premiership Drama
Martin O'Neill skysports.com tasted domestic defeat for the first time since returning to Celtic as his side dropped three crucial points in the race for the Scottish Premiership title with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Hibs. Rangers skysports.com mounted an incredible comeback to draw 2-2 at Livingston, but dropped points in the latest twist in the title race. O'Neill and Dany Röhl skysports.com remained defiant in their pursuit of the title despite both Celtic and Rangers dropping points.
European Football
Real Madrid and Barcelona bbc.com will try to tempt Rodri from Manchester City this summer. Barcelona espn.com brushed aside strugglers Levante 3-0 to return to the top of La Liga thanks to Frenkie De Jong's first goal in over a year and a thunderbolt from Fermin Lopez. Raheem Sterling espn.com made his first competitive appearance since May 2025 for Feyenoord and said he was pleased with his start to life at the Dutch club.
Other Football News
Cristiano Ronaldo bbc.com said he is happy at Al-Nassr following doubts over his future at the Saudi Arabian club. Al Nassr espn.com saw Ronaldo miss two league matches after a recent dispute with his club. Lionel Messi espn.com had a decent game in Inter Miami's 3-0 defeat to LAFC in their MLS opener, but decent isn't what you expect from him, especially during a World Cup year. Major League Soccer espn.com is investigating allegations that Messi gained unauthorized access to the officials' locker room following the match.
Women's Football
Chelsea espn.com knocked Manchester United out of the FA Cup in a replay of last year's final but will miss Sam Kerr when she leaves for the Asian Cup. Chelsea, Arsenal and Man City bbc.com cruised into the Women's FA Cup quarter-finals with comfortable wins. Arsenal forward Olivia Smith bbc.com was taken off on a stretcher during the Gunners' 3-0 victory over Bristol City.
International Football
South Africa skysports.com hammered hosts India by 76 runs in their opening Super 8s game at the T20 World Cup. India suffered their first loss in 13 T20 World Cup games after the disappointing defeat. France skysports.com held off the threat of Italy to eventually kick on and seal a 33-8 bonus-point Six Nations win over Italy and remain unbeaten in their Grand Slam bid.