Football/Soccer 3 Days

Last updated: May 12, 2026, 11:30 AM ET

Premier League Title Race & VAR Drama

Arsenal survived incredible late VAR drama on Sunday, holding on to beat West Ham 1-0 after Callum Wilson's 95th-minute equalizer was controversially ruled out for a foul on David Raya, putting the Gunners on the brink of their first Premier League title in 22 years. Manager Mikel Arteta praised the officials' "bravery" following the decision, while West Ham confirmed they will formally lodge a complaint with PGMOL, with pundits like Jamie Carragher asserting that only those opposed to Arsenal winning the league would dispute the VAR call; meanwhile, Tottenham's own survival hopes took another dramatic twist after they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Leeds, where they were denied a potential match-winning penalty late on.

Premier League Relegation & Mid-Table Moves

Tottenham's inability to secure the win against Leeds means their relegation battle will likely go down to the wire, leaving manager Roberto De Zerbi suggesting the referee was "not calm" during the match, while Aston Villa missed a chance to jump into the top four after being forced into a disappointing 2-2 draw against already-relegated Burnley. In personnel news, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe stated he is "looking at the future" after omitting Anthony Gordon for the second consecutive week, and defender Dan Burn shared that therapy has "quite well" for him, urging others struggling with mental health to seek support.

LaLiga & European Management Shifts

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick agreed to a contract extension after steering the Catalan giants to their 29th LaLiga title, a feat accomplished in style as his side defeated bitter rivals Real Madrid—who were missing the injured Kylian Mbappé—in the title-clinching Clásico. The victory was sealed partly by a brilliant free-kick from on-loan forward Marcus Rashford, whose future remains uncertain despite his goalscoring contribution, while former president Josep Maria Bartomeu revealed the club previously had an "agreement in principle" to sign Vinícius Júnior before he joined Real Madrid. Separately, reports suggest Jose Mourinho is increasingly likely to take the helm at Real Madrid.

Scottish Premiership Title Squeeze

The Scottish Premiership title race has reached its crescendo with just two games remaining, as Celtic moved to within one point of leaders Hearts following a crucial 3-1 Old Firm victory over Rangers, featuring a spectacular goal from Daizen Maeda. Both clubs have now sealed spots in the Champions League qualifiers next season, while Hearts manager Derek McInnes continues to fend off interest, though Rangers boss Danny Rohl has been assured by the Ibrox board that there is "no question mark" over his future despite a post-split capitulation.

Championship Play-Offs & Management Movements

Hull City advanced to the Championship play-off final after producing a clinical 2-0 second-leg display to defeat Millwall, with winger Mohamed Belloumi stepping up to secure the win, setting up a clash where Southampton are seeking more time to conduct an internal review after being charged with spying on rivals Middlesbrough. In managerial moves, Michael O’Neill has turned down the permanent Blackburn Rovers job to remain as Northern Ireland manager, while Huddersfield Town boss Liam Manning departed the League One club by mutual consent two months after taking compassionate leave.

Women's Football & Coaching Stability

As Chelsea prepare for the final Women's Super League match with no silverware on the line, the club has begun contacting prospective head coaches, including Xabi Alonso, who faces a significant dilemma if the Liverpool job becomes available; meanwhile, Nottingham Forest Women parted ways with head coach Carly Davies after finishing seventh in WSL 2. In the Women's FA Cup, Manchester City edged past defending champions Chelsea 3-2 after extra-time to reach the final, where they will face Brighton, who are aiming for their first major piece of silverware in their debut final appearance.

Discipline & Player Welfare in Football

Slavia Prague faces severe sanctions after their derby against Sparta Prague was abandoned, resulting in a 10m Czech crown (£357,000) fine, four games behind closed doors, and the forfeiture of the match. In player welfare, Tottenham defender Kevin Danso stated he will not be defined by the racist abuse he has received on social media, contrasting with an allegation of racist abuse by Aberdeen's Jack Milne towards Livingston's Jeremy Bokila which the SFA found "not proven"; furthermore, the family of former WSL manager Matt Beard spoke out about the emotional burden of management, stressing that "superhuman" managers shouldn't have to ask for help.

Golf Majors Build-Up & Player Confidence

Rory McIlroy expressed belief in a "clear road ahead" for securing more major titles as he takes a "relaxed approach" into the PGA Championship, confident that a recent post-round range session has "straightened out" his game, similar to his strategy at The Masters. Jordan Spieth, also competing at the PGA Championship, insisted that the pressure he faces to complete the career Grand Slam differs from McIlroy's situation, while Kristoffer Reitan secured his first PGA Tour victory by two shots at the Truist Championship.

Boxing & Other Sports Updates

In boxing, Jake Paul admitted he may never fight again as he recovers from his stoppage loss to Anthony Joshua, whose punch resistance was later questioned by Tyson Fury, who pointed out that Daniel Dubois knocked Joshua down four times; meanwhile, Shane Mosley Jr reasserted himself in the middleweight division with a sixth-round stoppage victory over the favourite Serhii Bohachuk. In other news, former England international Alex Batty shared his story after vanishing for six years at the age of 11 when he thought he was merely going on holiday.