Football/Soccer 3 Days

Last updated: May 11, 2026, 2:30 AM ET

Premier League Title Race Drama & VAR Controversy

Arsenal closed in on their first Premier League title in 22 years after surviving four minutes and 11 seconds of intense VAR drama at the London Stadium, where West Ham’s late 95th-minute equaliser was ultimately disallowed for a foul on goalkeeper David Raya. Pundit Danny Murphy credited manager Mikel Arteta’s late substitutions for securing the critical 1-0 victory, a win that sent the Gunners a step closer to glory, while Arteta himself praised the officials’ “bravery” in making the difficult call. The fallout was immediate, with West Ham planning to lodge an official complaint with the PGMOL regarding the consequential decision, which former striker Wayne Rooney nonetheless deemed a “really good job” by the VAR system.

Mid-Table & Relegation Battles

Aston Villa frustratingly drew 2-2 away at already-relegated Burnley, missing a significant opportunity to climb into the top four, while Bournemouth further strengthened their grip on a European spot after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fulham, extending their unbeaten run to 16 games. In the Women’s FA Cup, Khadija Shaw’s brace propelled Manchester City into the final via a 3-2 extra-time comeback against defending champions Chelsea, setting up a final showdown with Brighton, who are seeking their first major silverware. Meanwhile, in the Championship play-offs, Hull City and Millwall played to a goalless stalemate in their first leg, mirroring the tie between Middlesbrough and Southampton, which also ended 0-0, leaving both semi-finals delicately poised.

Scottish Premiership Title Fight Heats Up

The Scottish Premiership title race took another twist as Celtic secured a dramatic 3-1 Old Firm victory over Rangers, with Daizen Maeda netting a spectacular goal to bring the Hoops within one point of leaders Hearts with only two games remaining. Manager Brendan Rodgers received praise after Celtic came from behind to defeat Rangers, leading to speculation that Hearts fans, who fought hard for a point at Motherwell, might see their intoxicating title charge falter. Regardless of the outcome, both Hearts and Celtic have now guaranteed themselves spots in the Champions League qualifiers for next season, marking the first time Hearts will feature in 20 years.

European League Wrap-Up

Barcelona successfully clinched the LaLiga title in front of bitter rivals Real Madrid, capping a dominant season by defeating them 2-0 courtesy of goals from Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres. This victory allowed Barcelona to strike a new blow against Madrid, achieving the feat of winning the title against them for the first time in their history, despite Real Madrid having to compete without the injured Kylian Mbappé. Elsewhere in Europe, Cesc Fabregas’s Como side secured their passage into European football for the next season following a narrow 1-0 win over Hellas Verona in Italy.

Manchester United & Managerial Pressure

Manchester United missed a chance to secure third place after being held to a goalless draw at Sunderland, prompting pundit Paul Merson to disagree with manager Michael Carrick’s assessment that the performance was acceptable. Carrick remains determined not to over-analyse the team's needs following the stalemate, even as the difficulty of replacing the departing Casemiro becomes apparent, given the team has failed to win any of the four league games he has missed. At Liverpool, new manager Arne Slot publicly backed himself to win back the fanbase after supporters booed the team during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea, admitting he cannot mend relations this season but is confident after the summer transfer window.

Transfer Rumours & Player Statements

Everton is reportedly in talks regarding the possible return of defender John Stones, while Newcastle hopes to finalise a deal for young star Lewis Miley amidst ongoing discussions about Kieran Trippier’s future at St James’ Park. Tottenham Hotspur defender Kevin Danso stated unequivocally that he will not be defined or deterred by the racist abuse he has received recently on social media. Meanwhile, in Serie A, Udinese has demanded action from football authorities after English striker Keinan Davis claimed he was subjected to racial slurs during their match against Cagliari.

Golf & Combat Sports Updates

The men's major season continues this week at the PGA Championship, airing exclusively on Sky Sports, where Rory McIlroy expressed confidence that a specific post-round range session has corrected his wayward shots, similar to how it aided his Masters defence. On the PGA Tour, Kristoffer Reitan captured his inaugural victory at the Truist Championship by two strokes over Rickie Fowler and Nicolai Højgaard, though Fitzpatrick expressed disappointment after a near-miss the previous day. In boxing, Tyson Fury publicly questioned Anthony Joshua’s punch resistance, citing Daniel Dubois’s ability to knock him down four times during their bout, prompting Fury’s father to explain the decision not to stop the fight.

Other Sporting Notes

In MLS, Inter Miami rebounded from a shock loss by overwhelming Toronto FC with a four-goal victory, masterminded by a stellar performance from Lionel Messi. Elsewhere, Jeeno Thitikul secured a dominant four-shot victory at the Mizuho Americas Open, closing the gap on the world number one spot held by Nelly Korda. In darts, Josh Rock clinched his second European Tour title by defeating Kevin Doets 8-6 to claim the Austrian Darts Open. The brief mention of a historical event surfaced, recalling the high expectations of England’s 2006 “golden generation” and their subsequent disappointing World Cup exit.