2 weeks Ago
Leeds and Burnley are returning to the top flight after clinching promotion from the Championship, but Tony Mowbray has left West Brom after their play-off hopes were all but ended by defeat to Derby. Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has backed his team to embrace the challenge of clinching a surprise Champions League spot after they started a huge week with a 2-1 victory at Tottenham. Forest had slipped to sixth after weekend wins for Manchester City, Chelsea and Aston Villa, yet early goals from Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood put them in control and Richarlison’s 87th-minute header was too little too late for Spurs.
“First of all we have to realise that we are in a fight that no one expected, us included,” said Nuno, whose side return to London on Sunday for an FA Cup semi-final with City. “We have a big desire to compete. We are in the mix against big teams and that can only make us proud.
We embrace the challenge.” Leeds boss Daniel Farke saluted his players for holding their nerve after a 6-0 home win against Stoke helped seal promotion back to the Premier League after a two-year absence. Burnley’s 2-1 triumph over third-placed Sheffield United at Turf Moor in the evening kick-off confirmed top-flight returns for both the Clarets and Leeds.
Farke said: “The way we have performed in the last few weeks, the spirit and quality of the performances and the consistency of the results, especially with the clean sheets, has been second to none. “It’s really amazing and all the credit goes to the boys for the way they have handled this situation, not just the quality of the performance, but the mentality and spirit has been unbelievable.” Burnley captain Josh Brownhill joked the Clarets had “bored our way to the Premier League” after they clinched their return to the top flight at the first attempt.
Scott Parker’s side have conceded just 15 goals in 44 matches and Brownhill, who scored both goals against the Blades, told Sky Sports: “We’ve been written off so many times, people calling us boring, but we’ve bored our way to the Premier League again.” For Parker, it was a third Premier League promotion with three different clubs in the space of six seasons, after achieving the feat with Fulham and Bournemouth. “It’s emotional for me,” Parker said.
“The main emotion comes from the pride I have for the group.” West Brom announced the departure of Mowbray after a 3-1 defeat at home to relegation-threatened Derby. A fifth defeat in six games left West Brom 10th in the Championship and the club confirmed Mowbray’s departure hours after the final whistle, with assistant Mark Venus also leaving.
A statement said: “The club would like to place on record its thanks to Tony and Mark for their efforts – but has made the decision to part company following a series of poor results.” Kova 🤯 pic.twitter.
com/3j04wAZ1pY — Manchester City (@ManCity) April 21, 2025 Pep Guardiola has urged Manchester City fans to bring the noise and treat their remaining five Premier League games as cup finals. Guardiola’s side sit fifth but still have work to do in the fight for a Champions League spot, with five teams chasing three available places separated by just three points, and the visit of Aston Villa could prove crucial. “Villa are a contender to qualify for the Champions League and when you see the game they played against my friend Luis Enrique and PSG (Paris St Germain) I was really impressed,” said Guardiola.
“It’s a final and we need our people because I think our people want the Champions League again next season.” Champions League rivals Manchester City and Aston Villa go head-to-head at the Etihad. Victory for Villa would see them leapfrog their opponents into fourth.
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