12/05/2025

SPORTS MONDAY | MAY 12, 2025

29

Ű BY JONATHAN VEAL

Hurzeler hails Welbeck after Brighton beat Wolves

BRIGHTON boss Fabian Hurzeler hailed veteran striker Danny Welbeck after he scored a landmark goal in the 2-0 win at Wolves. The 34-year-old’s first-half penalty at Molineux was his 10th Premier League goal of the season – the first time he has hit double figures in the League. Brajan Gruda added a late second as the Seagulls kept themselves in the race for European qualification. Hurzeler said: “First of all I need to thank the medical department that Danny is on the pitch.

February. Boss Vitor Pereira said: “They deserved to win, we know we can be better, it is time to correct – mentally and physically – my team. We can play at a better level. “We can play at a better level. “The only thing that I can control is my training, and not only tactically, but to correct mentally the players to face the next two games. “We have to keep our work so we can be better in the next two games. We have six points to play for.” – The Independent

very professional. I am convinced that he can carry on for a long time.” The victory kept Brighton’s chances of qualifying for Europe alive as they chase an eighth-placed finish but the German is only focusing on his side’s next match with Liverpool. “I’m not thinking about Europe,” he said. “I’m thinking about how we can compete in the next game with the best team in the League.” Wolves were unable to show any of the form that saw them win six successive matches recently and this was a first home defeat since

Danny has never had so many minutes for us as he has had in this season. “Danny is an unbelievable role model for everyone, especially the younger players, both on the pitch and on the side. “On top of that, he is a great goalscorer, he has proved it so far this season so I am very happy he is in our team. “I hope (he can carry on), but I can’t see it to the future, so we will have to wait and see. “With Danny it is not a hope, he has to continue how he behaves at the moment, he is

Ollie gets thumbs up ‘Hard worker’ Watkins praised by Emery after scoring against Bournemouth U NAI EMERY admitted he is “so, so grateful” to manage Ollie Watkins after the forward became “His courage has been fantastic and to achieve it is very fantastic. I am so, so grateful to have a player like him.” reaches a climax, Villa, who progressed to the Champions League quarterfinals this term, face Europa League finalists Tottenham and Manchester United in the final two weeks of the season. Ű BY ED ELLIOT

Brentford boost Euro chances BRENTFORD’S bid for a first-ever European qualification gained strength as they beat Ipswich 1-0 at Portman Road to make it four Premier League wins in a row. Kevin Schade headed the game’s only goal from a corner in the 18th minute to give his side a lead, which only a late Ipswich rally during which Omari Hutchinson hit a post and Mark Flekken produced an outstanding save to deny Cameron Burgess, they rarely looked like relinquishing. The form of Thomas Frank’s side, together with favourable remaining fixtures as well as defeat for rivals Fulham, leaves the chance of an eighth-place finish and with it a possible spot in the Conference League tantalisingly within reach. “We need a perfect run-in,” said Frank, whose side face Fulham at home and Wolves away in their final two games. “It demands two top performances against difficult opponents. “It’s always been (our aim) to end as high as possible. We’re dreaming. “There is a lot riding on the next few games. Let’s see what happens, depending on other things. It is one game at a time and the next one is Fulham.” Speaking about the game, Frank told Sky Sport: “I think it was exactly as tough as I expected and it showed how hard it is to win four games in a row in the Premier League. “Ipswich performed well, they are clearly still fighting hard for everything. We had four, five, six opportunities where we need to kill the game but we didn’t.” Kieran McKenna’s side recovered from two goals down to earn their 15th away point of the season at Everton last weekend, but the Tractor Boys’ home form has left a lot to be desired. Only Southampton have taken fewer points on their own turf than Ipswich’s seven. “The players gave everything and we competed well against one of the form sides in the League,” McKenna told BBC’ s Match of the Day after the defeat. – The Independent/Agencies

commitment we need to fight again to be in the top positions in the table.” Ramsey was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Bournemouth substitute David Brooks. Cherries boss Andoni Iraola disagreed with that punishment but felt Villa defender Tyrone Mings was fortunate to escape an early red card following a “very violent elbow” on Alex Scott, who was later caught in the face by Amadou Onana.

Watkins, who joined from Brentford in 2020, touched home Morgan Rogers’ cross six minutes into first-half added time to settle the south-coast contest. Villa were relatively comfortable at the Vitality Stadium until Jacob Ramsey’s 80th-minute dismissal for a second bookable offence set up a tense finale. Match-winner Watkins told Sky Sports : “I

Emery said: “(It’s) fantastic to be again in Europe, for the third year in a row: Conference League, Champions League, and this year Conference League, Europa League or Champions League. “Of course we have a very

Aston Villa’s outright record Premier League goalscorer to fire the club into Europe. England international Watkins moved on to 75 top-flight strikes for Villa – one more than Gabriel Agbonlahor – by securing yesterday’s 1-0 win at Bournemouth. A seventh victory in eight League games guaranteed a top-seven place for Emery’s side, meaning they will definitely play in continental competition next term. Villa, who are chasing Champions League qualification via a top-five finish, leapfrogged Nottingham Forest into sixth spot and sit level on 63 points with fourth-placed Newcastle and Chelsea in fifth. Speaking of Watkins’ record breaking exploits, head coach

ambitious objective. We will play matches for it and now I am really enjoying the team, I enjoy how

“We’ve sent Alex for an MRI (scan) because he was really feeling it,” said Iraola. “I think it is a very violent elbow – very violent. The second yellow for Ramsey, I don’t think is a second yellow.” European hopefuls Bournemouth, who slipped to 10th – two points behind Brentford and

think it is massive for us. There are a lot of teams that are pushing for Champions League spots and it is going down to the wire. “Getting that goal

we are competing, I am enjoying how the players are showing the

to break the record for this club is massive and something I had

Brighton, struggled to create for much of the evening. “It’s obviously a missed

my eye on when I came to the club. I said it in my first

Emery said: “It’s fantastic, brilliant. “He deserves it

opportunity,” said Iraola. “We knew that the game was going to be difficult.” – The Independent

interview and it is a great achievement for me.” As their quest for a top-five spot

completely because he is a hard worker. He is committed with Aston Villa.

Bournemouth’s Adam Smith (left) in action with Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins. – REUTERSPIC

Moyes lauds ‘immense’ Keane

Ű BY REUBEN ROSSO-POWELL

stoppage time. Keane’s header from a Dwight McNeil corner came in the 70th minute before Beto’s shot bobbled beneath Leno three minutes later as Everton sealed three points in the capital. “We were incredibly poor in the first 30 minutes but nothing had broken for us in the game either. Mykolenko’s strike went in and that gave us hope at half-time,” Moyes added. “It hugely changed my thoughts, it gave me a chance to take a breath and I’m glad we did because the team showed themselves in the second half. We got into the game and got the victory.” – The Independent

EVERTON boss David Moyes lauded an “immense” display from Michael Keane after the defender scored what could be his last goal for the club as they dealt a major blow to Fulham’s European hopes with a 3-1 win at Craven Cottage. The Merseysiders recorded a first Premier League victory since April 12 after Vitalii Mykolenko equalised and Keane’s header put them in front following Raul Jimenez’s opener in the 17th minute. A rare error by goalkeeper Bernd Leno saw

year-old, who has been at the club since 2017. “He’s a great boy and showed his professionalism as we’ve had injuries to (Jake) O’Brien and (James) Tarkowski and we looked different at the back.” Emile Smith Rowe’s lofted cross set up Jimenez to power home the opener with his head before Mykolenko’s shot from the edge of the area took a heavy deflection off Andreas Pereira to draw Everton level in first-half

Beto grab a quickfire third for Everton before Fulham were denied the chance of a consolation as penalty appeals for handball were turned down by VAR in stoppage time. Defender Keane, whose deal runs out in June, is expected to depart Goodison Park with no sign of a new deal on the horizon. “Michael Keane, who has had some difficult times, played so well today and was immense for the goal off the corner,” Moyes said of the 32