02/05/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | MAY 2, 2026

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Fernandes and the art of the assist

Eagles close in on Conf. League final CRYSTAL PALACE took a giant step towards the Uefa Conference League final in their first season of European football with a 3-1 semifi nal, first leg win over Shakhtar Donetsk yester day. Goals from Ismaila Sarr, Daichi Kamada and Jorgen Strand Larsen in Poland put the Eagles in command of the tie despite a spir ited performance from the Ukrainian league leaders. Shakhtar have remained remarkably com petitive in European football despite their long exile from Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict with Russia. But the vast difference in resources between the sides showed as Strand Larsen came off the bench to give last season’s FA Cup winners a two-goal cushion late on. “It’s a nice halftime lead, but not more,” said Palace manager Oliver Glasner. “It was a huge impact from the bench. So overall we’re very pleased with the perform ance, but it’s just the first step.” Prior to shocking Manchester City in last season’s FA Cup final, Palace had never won a major trophy in their history. Now they are the favourites to add a sec ond in 12 months with Rayo Vallecano or Strasbourg awaiting the winners in the final in Leipzig on May 27. “This is just an amazing group of people, of men, of characters and it’s with such a big great spirit,” added Glasner, who will leave Palace at the end of the season. “There’s such a great togetherness and we always believe in us.” Rayo edged the first leg of the other semi final 1-0 in Spain. – AFP What sets the Portugal international apart is not simply the volume of chances he creates but the way he creates them. His passing is ambitious, often risky, sometimes infuriating for critics who focus on lost balls rather than decisive ones. Yet that willingness to gamble is central to his value. Fernandes scans early and releases the ball for ward before defences are set, turning half spaces MANCHESTER UNITED captainBruno Fernandes has never fitted neatly into the idea of a “system” player. He bends systems to his will, imposes himself on games and, increasingly, is cementing his place in Premier League history. One assist away from the single-season record shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, with four games to go, Fernandes could reach that mile stone tomorrow against Liverpool with a familiar mix of urgency, edge and invention. Title twist awaits ESPANYOL have not won a single game in 2026 and if they finally break that run against Real Madrid on Monday it could hand their city rivals Barcelona the Spanish title. Manolo Gonzalez’s side started the season bril liantly and at Christmas were fifth, knocking on the doors of Champions League qualification. It seemed unlikely the team from Cornella could maintain that superb form, but their plunge down to 13th, just five points clear of the relega tion zone, has been equally surprising. Although Espanyol fans would rather not deliver Hansi Flick’s Barca a second consecutive Spanish league triumph, the club’s survival in the top flight is at stake in the five final games of the season. It was Barca who started Espanyol’s bad run this year, beating them 2-0 on Jan 3, the first of 16 straight matches without a win for Gonzalez’s team. Espanyol fans showed their disgust after a goalless draw against lowly Levante on Tuesday which was their chance to break the negative streak. SHORTS

ened rather than blunted. Freed to operate higher and given license to roam with Carrick at the helm, Fernandes has turned United’s attack into some thing more fluid and unpredictable. His assists have come from everywhere: set pieces swung with precision, cutbacks from wide areas, early balls slid between centrebacks. The variety underlines a football brain constantly searching for solutions. Records, though, are rarely what drives Fernandes, who has nine more assists than his nearest rival – City’s Rayan Cherki. While he is still a long way short of the league’s all-time assists record — 162 set by former Manchester United great Ryan Giggs — Fernandes continues to climb the club’s own rankings. – Reuters

collect possession when United struggle to pro gress play. That blend of high-wire creativity and relent less workload has made him indispensable through managerial changes and fluctuating form around him. Even when United have looked dis jointed, the 31-year-old has continued to produce. Leadership is another under appreciated part of his game. Since taking on the captaincy, Fernandes has carried responsibility visibly and vocally, demanding standards and refusing ano nymity. He plays with emotion close to the surface, arguing with referees one moment, sprinting back to cover fullbacks the next. It is messy but authen tic, and teammates appear to feed off his intensity. This season, those qualities have been sharp

into opportunities with disguised passes, clipped crosses and threaded through-balls that reward movement and courage from teammates. The playmaker, who United teammate Casemiro has described as the “heartbeat” of the side, is having the best season of his career, and the club’s interim boss Michael Carrick believes he should be rewarded with the league’s Player of the Year award. “Hopefully he does (win it),” Carrick said. “He deserves it for the impact he has had and the moments he’s created, whether it’s creating or scoring or having other influence within the group. He’s had a big season.” Fernandes is not a classic No. 10 floating above the game. He works furiously without the ball, presses aggressively and repeatedly drops deep to

Emery left fuming … as Forest star Anderson escapes red card

U NAI EMERY slammed the decision not to send off Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson as Aston Villa crashed to a 1-0 defeat in the Europa League semifinal first leg yesterday. Chris Wood’s second half pen alty, awarded for a needless hand ball by Lucas Digne, fired Forest to a tense victory at the City Ground. But Villa boss Emery was incensed by Forest midfielder Anderson’s escape after his ugly foul on Ollie Watkins in the first half. “The VAR is so, so bad. “It’s a clear red card, I don’t understand why the VAR is not call ing the referee because it’s so clear. It’s a huge, huge mistake. VAR is

ers. To be part of the Nottingham family with a manager in the mem ory of everyone. I am very proud of my players,” said Pereira, who is Forest’s fourth manager of a turbu lent season. After taking just one point from two Premier League meetings with Villa this season, Pereira said he had learnt how to subdue Emery’s team. “I am proud we played in our way, pressing high but if they attack then reorganise the team in a block. Tactically, we did what we should,” he said. “The transition of Villa is very dangerous, when they drive with the ball at our defensive line, it’s a big problem.” – AFP

Vitor Pereira hailed gritty Forest’s spirited display. Forest will travel to Villa Park for the second leg on May 7 aiming to reach their first continental show piece since winning the 1980 European Cup. “We changed the players but kept the spirit. The mentality to try to win games. The supporters, fantastic, they help us a lot. Next time we face a big battle,” Forest boss Pereira said. Forest, who twice won the European Cup under Brian Clough, were playing in their first semifinal in Europe since the legendary manager took them to the last four in the Uefa Cup in 1983/84. “For me it’s an honour to manage this club, to try to help these payers, to see the smiles on the faces of these support

responsible,” Emery said. “The referee, fantastic, fantastic job, 10 out of 10, I appreciated how he managed the match for 90 min utes. “But I watched it back. Wow. Huge. He could break his ankle. VAR where are you? It is your responsibil ity, we are professionals. “It was so clear for everybody. He could break his ankle. It’s not fair.” Insisting Villa can still bounce back and reach their first European final since 1982, Emery added: “After their goal the most important thing was not to lose our mind and to keep our game plan. “The match is not finished, it continues next week. We must come back.” While Emery fumed,

Aston Vills keeper Emiliano Martínez (front) pulls off a save to deny Forest’s Igor Jesus (left) during their Europa League match at the City Ground yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

Opponents Real Madrid are also carrying a feel ing of failure with them, although they can delay Barcelona’s title celebrations with a victory. Madrid can avoid having to give the reigning champions a traditional guard of honour at the Nou Camp on May 10 in the Clasico if they defeat Espanyol – although it would mean Barca can win the league against them. Los Blancos are set to end a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy and just have their pride to play for between now and the end of the season. One last Salah show ARNE SLOT said Mohamed Salah “deserves a big send-off” as he confirmed he expected the depart ing superstar to return from injury before the end of the season. The Egypt forward, who will leave Anfield at the end of the campaign, was forced off in last week end’s 3-1 win at home to Crystal Palace, prompting fears he may have played his final game for the Reds. Salah applauded the fans and was given a standing ovation as he made his way off the pitch. Liverpool confirmed on Thursday that Salah, 33, had suffered a “minor muscle injury” and was

expected to be able to return to action before the campaign comes to an end. The club travel to face Manchester United tomorrow. “We expect him to be back in the final part of the season, but not for Sunday,”Liverpool boss Slot said at his pre-match press conference yesterday. “It’s a big relief that his injury is minor, so that he’s able to play for us, that he’s able to play at the World Cup. “And if there’s ever a player who deserves to get a big send-off, it’s definitely Mo.” Salah has scored 257 goals in 440 appearances since his arrival at Anfield in 2017, behind only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in Liverpool’s list of leading goalscorers. Liverpool, whose Premier League title defence collapsed dramatically from late September, have four games remaining, starting with their trip to face United. Leipzig chase Europe RB LEIPZIG can achieve their “season goal” of returning to the Champions League as the top four race in the Bundesliga comes to a head tomorrow. Ole Werner’s Leipzig, in third, are at sixth-placed

Bayer Leverkusen, while Hoffenheim, in fifth, host fourth-placed Stuttgart. With Bayern Munich having already clinched the Bundesliga title, Borussia Dortmund last week became the second side to ensure Champions League qualification. Leipzig, who missed out on European competi tion altogether for the first time last season, can book their spot in the Champions League with vic tory over Leverkusen this weekend. Coach Werner knows his team – who are five points clear of Stuttgart and Hoffenheim and a fur ther two ahead of Leverkusen – are in the box seat but warned his charges against complacency. Defeat for Leverkusen could mean trailing the Champions League spots by five points with two games remaining, leaving their hopes hanging by a thread. Hoffenheim and Stuttgart are level on points and should one side emerge victorious from their meeting today, that team will have one foot in the top four. Currently, only a top-four finish will guarantee Champions League football next season. But should the Bundesliga emerge ahead of La Liga in the Uefa coefficient thanks to Bayern and Freiburg, who are in the Champions League and Europa League semifinals, Germany will gain a fifth spot.