10/03/2025

SPORTS MONDAY | MAR 10, 2025

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City face fight for Champions League spot after defeat at Forest Damaging defeat

UNAI EMERY says Aston Villa are hungry to prove themselves in the final two months of the season after they were handed a boost in their European qualification push with a 1-0 Premier League win at Brentford. Ollie Watkins’ 49th-minute strike was the only goal of the match as Villa made it three victories on the spin after beating Club Brugge 3-1 in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday and knocking Cardiff out of the FA Cup last weekend. The England international, who swapped Brentford for Villa in 2020, silenced the boos around the Gtech Community Stadium to take his League tally for the season to 13. Villa, in seventh, now sit two points off fourth-place Manchester City. “We have to be extremely demanding for the rest of the season, we can add confidence, belief in the way we want to play,” Emery said. “We will work with the players and try to be ready because we are hungry to play the last two-and-a-half months because we lost something in our way this year and want try to recover, especially in the Premier League. “We tried to get confidence and belief in our way, it was very important, we spoke in our meetings and how competing here and wishing to win in everything we did. Today we needed to adapt to every demand they pushed us with.” Emery’s side, who had two goals chalked off in their 4-1 loss at Crystal Palace last month, were denied by VAR again in west London with Watkins being deemed to have ran too early in the build up to Morgan Rogers’ effort. “Ollie is always working and taking a big responsibility with his tasks,” Emery added on scorer Watkins’ performance. “When he’s scoring it’s fantastic and when he’s not he’s helping. He had good chances but his attitude is always fantastic, he worked like we needed and we won.” Brentford had a day to forget with Keane Lewis-Potter’s shot from range hitting the post being their best chance of the evening. Thomas Frank felt hard done by that his side were not awarded a penalty when Axel Disasi’s push on Kevin Schade was waved away by referee Jarred Gillett. “I think Disasi’s clearly taken him out,” Frank said. “I’m pretty sure you’re not allowed to do that.” – The Independent Emery wants hungry Villans With Leeds in action at Portsmouth overnight, the Blades moved level on points with their promotion rivals thanks to Tyrese Campbell’s second half strike at Bramall Lane. Third-placed Burnley thrashed lowly Luton 4 0 at Turf Moor and sit two points behind the top two in the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League. Luton were reduced to 10 men by Kal Naismith’s 19th-minute red card. A Mark McGuinness own goal in the 30th minute was followed by strikes for Lyle Foster, Josh Brownhill and Ashley Barnes. Coventry bolstered their playoff bid with a dramatic 3-2 win over Stoke as Frank Lampard’s side made it nine victories in their last 10 league games. Victor Torp’s double put Coventry in control, only for Sam Gallagher’s brace to haul Stoke level on boss Mark Robins’ return to Coventry with his new club. But Bobby Thomas had the last word for fifth placed Coventry, scoring the winner with 97

Ű BY JONATHAN VEAL

action. It happens in football, nothing to say.” Hudson-Odoi’s winner provided a new highlight in a memorable campaign for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men. They consolidated their position in third with 10 games to go, four points ahead of City in fourth and five ahead of Chelsea in fifth. Nuno remained typically

“We are talking about the best teams around. It always gives you the confidence that you can compete well against such good players. “It allows us to grow as a team, but it doesn’t change the opponent ahead of you

M ANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola says Champions League qualification will not fall from the sky for them after a damaging defeat at Nottingham Forest. City were beaten 1-0 at the City Ground after Callum Hudson-Odoi caught goalkeeper Ederson out at the near post in the 82nd minute. It was their ninth defeat of the season, the most since 2019/20, and leaves them looking over their shoulder in the top-four race, with Forest strengthening their own position with a famous win. Guardiola says his side will have to “win a lot of matches” to get back in the premier European competition next season and that qualification will not be gifted to them. “We have to win games. We don’t win enough games in a row to be secure,” he said. “We have 10 games left, we have to win a lot of games to qualify. This is how it is. “To find a way we have to play better. We have to do something, it doesn’t come from the sky. Of course the situation is what it is. “Ten games left, starting aga i ns t Brighton on Saturday, international break afterwards and we’ll see what happens.” Ederson had earlier made a brilliant save to deny Hudson-Odoi, turning onto the post after the Forest man cut in from the left. The Brazilian made a hash of Hudson-Odoi’s effort from the other side, allowing the former Chelsea winger to squeeze in at the near post. But Guardiola was attributing no blame. “It is what it is, we can’t blame a player, I prefer to praise than blame,” he added. “I didn’t see the minutes on the clock. An Adam Armstrong penalty gave playoff chasing West Bromwich Albion a 1-0 win against QPR at the Hawthorns. Albion played the second half with 10 men after Darnell Furlong was sent off. Derby boss John Eustace masterminded the downfall of his old club Blackburn in a 2-1 win at Pride Park that boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation. Eustace, who was criticised for surprisingly leaving Blackburn to join Derby recently, had the last laugh after Craig Forsyth and Ebou Adams scored inside the first seven minutes for the third-bottom Rams. Josh Coburn headed the 81st-minute winner as Millwall came from behind to beat Watford 2 1 at Vicarage Road. Eom Ji-Sung scored as Swansea beat Middlesbrough 1-0, while Chris Mepham hit the winner as fourth-placed Sunderland defeated Cardiff 2-1. Sheffield Wednesday pushed bottom of the table Plymouth towards League One with a 3-0 win at Home Park and lowly Hull drew 1-1 at Bristol City. – AFP

grounded and insists the victory does not change anything in terms of their goals for the season. “We are very happy. We did a very good game against a t o u g h team,” h e said. e

because the Premier League is very tough. Every good performance we have and every good result we have is always what we look for. “It doesn’t

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change anything. It’s about the focus and the approach of the games. Let’s enjoy the journey together. The players are doing amazing, the fans are giving us help, so let’s keep on enjoying.” It was Forest’s first Premier League

win over Manchester City since 1995, when Stuart Pearce captained them to a 3-0 win. Pearce is recovering in hospital in Canada after falling ill on a flight home from Las Vegas. “Stuart is not just a legend of our club, he is part of our family,” Nuno said. “We all send him our very best wishes and hope he has a full and fast recovery.” – The Independent

Nottingham Forest’s Callum Hudson-Odoi celebrates scoring their first goal. – REUTERSPIC

Blades keep pressure on Leeds SHEFFIELD UNITED kept the pressure on Championship leaders Leeds with a 1-0 win against Preston yesterday.

It’s clearly our fault we lost: Silva MARCO SILVA insisted Fulham only had themselves to blame for a last-gasp 2-1 defeat at Brighton.

not a good second half from us. It’s clearly our fault that we lost the game.” The penalty, awarded in the seventh minute of added time, looked soft with Pedro going down under Harrison Reed’s challenge. But Silva added: “I’m not complaining. A clever striker felt contact and won the penalty. “We expect this type of striker to do his job. If it was my side I’d ask for a penalty.” It was probably no less than Brighton deserved as they poured forward in the second half, with Kaoru Mitoma and Simon Adingra both seeing goals ruled out for offside. But with five minutes of added time already up, Reed clumsily challenged Pedro, referee Sam Barrott pointed to the spot and Brighton finally ended their Fulham hoodoo. “We are pleased, because for every Premier League game, to get the wins is so tough,” said Fulham boss Fabian Hurzeler. “These are the things we have to continue doing. “There is not momentum. I understand why every game is a new challenge. We have to enjoy today, enjoy tomorrow, and then focus on the next challenge.” – The Independent

Joao Pedro scored a stoppage-time penalty as the Seagulls finally beat Fulham in the Premier League at the 10th attempt. Albion looked set to be frustrated by the Cottagers once again, having never beaten them in nine previous meetings. But Pedro’s spotkick at the death settled the battle of the European hopefuls in Brighton’s favour and moved them up to sixth, just a point behind Manchester City in fourth. Raul Jimenez’s well-taken opener for Fulham had earlier been cancelled out by Jan Paul van Hecke’s towering header from a free kick in the first half. “It’s a difficult one to take, to lose like we lost,” said Cottagers boss Silva. “But that’s the reality. It’s football. We gave them two moments. “The first half from us was a good level, the second half I disagree. When the game was really quiet and we were completely in control, we conceded a goal from a freekick. “We gave them a chance. And then it was