Premier League Match Week 29 And Carabao Cup Final Results: Horrible Week For Liverpool Ends in Carabao Cup Loss; Newcastle Ends Long Wait For Silverware: Arsenal Tops Chelsea; Brighton Takes Point At Etihad; Trees Prove Too Much For Tractor Boys; Wolves Take Another Step To Safety; Cottagers Sink Spurs

Liverpool was eliminated from a second competition in less than a week as Newcastle defeated the Premier League leaders 2-1 in the Carabao Cup final. Dan Burn and Alexander Isak scored either side of halftime to give Newcastle its first domestic cup since 1955 and its first major silverware of any sort in 56 years. Manager Eddie Howe needed to fight back tears in postgame interviews as the Newcastle manager silenced doubters who questioned whether the long time Bournemouth manager was the right man to lead Newcastle out of the wilderness. In doing so, Howe becomes the first English manager to win a domestic title in England since 2008. Long suffering Newcastle supporters blanketed Wembley with a wall of celebratory sound at match end while Liverpool fans could only shake their heads in shock.

Liverpool has boat raced the Premier League and entered last week with hopes of a treble of titles this season. A quadruple could even have been in sight if Manager Arne Slot had not chosen a heavily rotated side which failed to survive Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup. Then came elimination form the Champions League a week ago at Anfield after Liverpool had taken a one goal lead in the first leg of their tie with the French champions. The Reds failed to score during regular or extra time at Anfield during the week and only a stoppage time goal by Federico Chiesa avoided a similar fate at Wembley. Chiesa’s consolation goal was not enough for Liverpool to overcome a second straight match where Mohamed Salah and his forward linemates were kept at bay by a disciplined opponent. The loss and his individual performance were particularly disappointing for Salah. The Premier League’s goal and assist leader extended a string of disappointments in title matches for both club and country. The Egyptian international has not scored from open play in eleven cup finals played for Liverpool and Egypt. Salah and his mates now turn their full attention to finishing out the Premier League schedule with that title presumptively theirs.

Arsenal reduced Liverpool’s lead in the Premier League table to 12 points, a still overwhelming margin with but nine matches left, when the Gunners edged Chelsea 1-0 at the Emirates on Sunday. Converted midfielder Mikel Merino headed in Martin Odegaard’s corner kick for the only goal in a match of forward depleted rosters. Chelsea’s Cole Palmer missed the match after sustaining  a minor injury in training. Fourth place Chelsea is now just two points ahead of Carabao Cup champions Newcastle with the Magpies having a match in hand.

Manchester City and Brighton are a point on either side of Newcastle after the Citizens and Seagulls drew 2-2 on Saturday. An own goal by Manchester City’s Abdukodir Khusanov in the 48th minute extended a five-match unbeaten run for Brighton which had strung together four consecutive victories entering the match at the Etihad. Erling Haaland’s first half penalty kick for City made him the first Premier League player to record 100 combined goals and assists in fewer than 100 matches.

Nottingham Forest increased its lead over fourth place Chelsea to five points as the Tricky Trees stayed four points behind Arsenal with a 4-2 win over beleaguered Ipswich Town. The Trees were up 3-0 by halftime after a first half brace from former Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga.

Manchester United also waltzed to victory over a relegation zone opponent as the Red Devils swept by Leicester 3-0 at the Foxes’ King Power Stadium. A goal and two assists by Bruno Fernandes powered the Red Devils and sent Leicester and former Manchester United interim manager Rudd van Nistelrooy to the 13th loss in the Foxes’ last 14 league matches.

Wolverhampton added a further point of separation from both Ipswich and Leicester with a 2-1 win over Southampton. A brace by Jorgen Strand Larsen staked Wolverhampton to a two-goal lead before the Saints responded with a late match prayer which proved too little too late. Wolverhampton now has a nine-point advantage in the battle for the final safe Premier League spot for next season.

Directly above Wolverhampton in the table are three clubs currently level on 34 points but with wildly different stories to tell of their league seasons. Everton and West Ham drew 1-1 at Goodison Park as the Toffees extended their unbeaten run to nine matches under returning manager David Moyes. Moyes also spent two tours of duty at West Ham which parted ways with the Scottish manger after last season. A lack of success under his successor, Julen Lopetegui, led to Graham Potter becoming the Hammers’ third manager in a year’s time. Potter’s start has been mixed in east London but there is a sense of hope that the former Chelsea and Brighton manager can restore the club’s fortunes.

Such hope is dwindling, meanwhile, for Tottenham Hotspur Manager Ange Postecoglou. While better on goal differential than the Toffees and Hammers, Spurs’ 14th place position in the Premier League standings is deemed nothing less than a disaster by the club’s supporters. The north London side lost their derby with Fulham 2-0 on Sunday as Cottagers Rodrigo Muniz and Ryan Sessegnon, a former Spur, found the net for the home side. Spurs supporters cannot be happy with Postecoglou waving the white flag on this league season as the Australian manager rested numerous stars, including Son Heung-min and James Maddison against Fulham. Postecoglou apparently views prioritizing the Europa League and merely playing out the slate in the league as his best chance of returning to the Tottenham Hotspur touchline next season. Supporters accustomed to top six league finishes may feel different.

Meanwhile, a promising season has taken a recent downturn for Bournemouth manger Andoni Iraola who is often tagged as a possible replacement for Postecoglou. The Cherries lost for a third time in their last four matches, falling 2-1 at home to Brentford. Christian Norgaard scored the 71st minute winner for the Bees who drew within three points of the now 10th place Cherries.