Premier League and FA Cup Final: 10 Talking Points from Weekend Action

Luke Shaw scored his first goal in over three years for Manchester United, a reminder of the left-back’s ability. He has appeared in all 37 league games this season, his best at Old Trafford, leaving his injury-prone past behind. With experience and quality, Shaw merits a World Cup spot; Thomas Tuchel has limited options at left-back, and Shaw’s consistency has been key to Michael Carrick’s turnaround. “He deserves to go,” Carrick said after the win against Nottingham Forest. “His consistency, his performances, his experience, his qualities. He’s an excellent full-back.” Nico O’Reilly, the current England first choice, offers a different profile after converting from central midfield under Pep Guardiola. Tuchel could take Shaw for variety and reliability, a sensible approach. (Will Unwin)

Manchester United 3-2 Nottingham Forest.

The handball call against Bryan Mbeumo was clearly wrong, yet the VAR review took three minutes and another 60 seconds for referee Michael Salisbury to confirm the original decision. “I think we need to have a meeting together to understand when it is a handball,” said Vitor Pereira, the losing manager. Accidental handball was the final ruling, but that hardly matters when it leads to a goal. The delay and outcome frustrated many. “A lot of the time we don’t understand the decisions,” Pereira added. (Tom Bassam)

Nuno Espirito Santo described West Ham’s performance as “a bad performance and a bad day” at St James’ Park, but his team are not yet condemned to relegation. Tottenham need only a point against Chelsea on Tuesday to effectively survive due to a superior goal difference, but they last took a point at Stamford Bridge four years ago. Spurs have lost their last five meetings by an aggregate 12-4, with eight defeats in the last ten. Chelsea’s players have extra motivation to impress incoming manager Xabi Alonso. The season may come down to the final day, when Spurs face Everton. Nuno can hope Chelsea do him a favor and rally his troops. (Will Magee)

Newcastle 3-1 West Ham.

Aston Villa’s season high represented another sobering low for Liverpool. Arne Slot’s side failed to create chances and conceded two set-piece goals. Liverpool were without nine first-team players, including Alexander Isak, who was rested with a minor issue. Isak’s injury-hit season mirrors Liverpool’s struggles. “I don’t think it could come to anyone as a surprise that if you miss your pre-season and then break your leg that minor injuries can occur if you then start into Premier League games in that intensity,” Slot said. “Just a bit of bad luck for him that in a moment of time he comes back, then Hugo [Ekitiké] gets injured and we need him more.” (Ben Fisher)

Aston Villa 4-2 Liverpool.

After Manchester City’s FA Cup triumph over Chelsea, their 17th major trophy under Pep Guardiola, the manager urged players to avoid complacency. “The most important thing is that [winning] trophies is good. Know what it takes to compete and win but don’t take it for granted,” Guardiola said. “You start to believe that you are special, you will not win the FA Cup. Special we are not. The moment that we think [that], we will not be in these places.” (Jamie Jackson)

Chelsea 0-1 Manchester City.

Chelsea’s recent record in Wembley cup finals is dire. Saturday’s loss was their eighth defeat in nine finals since 2017. Scoring at Wembley has been difficult since Didier Drogba’s departure; Christian Pulisic was the last Chelsea player to score in a domestic cup final, in 2020. That is five finals without a goal. The drought cannot be solely blamed on inexperience, given Chelsea scored seven goals in last year’s Club World Cup and Conference League finals. New manager Xabi Alonso will emphasize ending that drought in domestic competitions. (Billy Munday)

Leeds beat Brighton 1-0 at Elland Road, hinting at a brighter future. Since Daniel Farke reverted to a back three in November, Leeds have sat sixth in the Premier League table from December onward, above European contenders like Brighton. Farke, once debated by fans, now has full backing. He called for more transfer market support, and with survival secured, Leeds appear poised for progress. (Aaron Bower)

Leeds 1-0 Brighton.

Sunderland have won more points from losing positions than any other Premier League team this season, totaling 22 after their comeback at Everton. Manager Regis Le Bris said: “The team never loses its head. The team always stays connected. The character of the players is [key]. They are sometimes emotional but they have strong personalities, and we trust the way we play.” Sunderland’s resilience contrasts with Everton’s struggles under pressure. (Andy Hunter)

Everton 1-3 Sunderland.

Adam Wharton controlled the game for Crystal Palace until Brentford’s late fightback. The 22-year-old scored his first club goal fortuitously but impressed overall. Manager Oliver Glasner praised Wharton’s durability and intelligence: “His head, his understanding of the game, his reading of the game, he is always two steps ahead. This helps him compensate for his physical disadvantage.” Brentford manager Keith Andrews acknowledged Wharton’s quality: “He’s a quality player, no doubt about that.” Wharton is likely to attract interest, including from Thomas Tuchel. (John Brewin)

Brentford 2-2 Crystal Palace.

Wolves are likely to lose several players after relegation, but Mateus Mané stands out. His opener was high quality, though he gave away a penalty. The 18-year-old has shown enough to play in the Premier League next season. His technical and athletic ability, combined with character in a poor team, suggest he should leave Molineux for the right environment. (TB)

Wolves 1-1 Fulham.