The Premier League 2022-23 top-four race is heating up as we enter the business end of the season. 

While the Premier League title is all but wrapped up by Manchester City following Arsenal’s slump in form in April, the battle for the top four spots is still very much alive with as many as six teams in contention for UEFA Champions League qualification next season.

The likes of Manchester City and Arsenal have already secured a place in the top four and with it, UEFA Champions League football for next season.

However, the remaining two spots in the Premier League top four are still very much alive and up for grabs.

As many as four teams are battling it out for the remaining two spots in the Premier League top four. These teams are Newcastle United, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Brighton.

With that in mind, let’s have a look at the scenarios and circumstances that each team will be hoping for the secure a top-four spot in the Premier League as they chase UEFA Champions League qualification for next season.

Premier League 2022-23 top four race and run-in

Newcastle United

Currently, third in the standings with 65 points from 33 games, Newcastle is one of two teams in contention for a top-four spot who have their destiny in their own hands. If the Geordies win their remaining five games they will secure third spot comfortably. However, even two wins and a draw from their remaining matches will be enough for them to secure a UEFA Champions League spot for next season. 

Their remaining fixtures include clashes against Arsenal, Leeds United, Brighton, Leicester City, and Chelsea on the final day of the season.

Manchester United

Like Newcastle, Manchester United also have their top-four destiny in their own hands. After 33 games, the Red Devils have amassed 63 points and need another nine points from an available 15 to guarantee UEFA Champions League football next season. It’s worth also mentioning that should the chasing pack drop points in their remaining matches, United could finish in the top four even if they don’t get the three wins necessary to guarantee a top-four finish at this stage.

United’s remaining fixtures will see them travel to West Ham United as well as Bournemouth and welcome the likes of Wolves, Chelsea, and Fulham to Old Trafford.

Liverpool

After an underwhelming first half of the campaign, fifth-paced Liverpool seems to be building up a head of steam at the business end of the season. They have accumulated 59 points from 34 games and will rely on the likes of Newcastle and Manchester United to drop points, while simultaneously ensuring that they win all of their remaining four Premier League matches against the likes of Brentford, Leicester City, Aston Villa, and Southampton. 

What’s also worth noting is that there’s a chance that Liverpool could win all their remaining games and still not finish in the top four if Newcastle and Manchester United claim seven and nine points respectively from their remaining fixtures.

Brighton

One of the surprise packages of the ongoing Premier League season, Brighton is currently in sixth position with 55 points from 32 games. Like Liverpool, they need to win all of their remaining six matches while hoping that the likes of Newcastle and Manchester United drop points in pursuit of a place in the top four.

However, that will be easier said than done, especially when you take one glance at their remaining fixtures. Their last six league games of the season will see them square off against Everton, Southampton, and Manchester City at home, while trips to Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Aston Villa also await them, making their chances of a top-four finish an outside one at best.

Photo credit: Alamy

The FA Cup 2022-23 semi-finals are slated to take place this weekend with Manchester City taking on Sheffield United and Manchester United facing Brighton & Hove Albion.

Manchester City will square off against Sheffield United on Saturday, while Manchester United take on Brighton on Sunday.

The Citizens will head into their semi-final clash against Sheffield as firm favourites. Unbeaten in their last 15 games, City is in scintillating form and will be brimming with confidence having beaten Bayern Munich 4-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.

On course for a historic treble, City will be eager to get the better of Sheffield and secure a final spot in their bid to win the FA Cup, Premier League, and UEFA Champions League.

Sheffield United, on the other hand, is also in a rich vein of form and is currently second in the Championship table, putting them on course for automatic promotion to the Premier League next season.

They’ve won six of their last seven matches and will be hoping to pull off a huge upset against a formidable City side.

Meanwhile, Manchester United will be hoping to bounce back from their UEFA Europa League exit in midweek by overcoming a high-flying Brighton side who will fancy their chances of knocking out the Red Devils.

Currently seventh in the Premier League and chasing a spot in European football next season, Brighton is one of the in-form teams in world football at the moment and have played some breathtaking football this season.

While it may seem like the Red Devils are favourites to win this tie on paper, the Seagulls will know that they are very capable of knocking out the English heavyweights of the FA Cup, which would mean that United would be knocked out of two Cup competitions in four days.

Needless to say, Manchester United won’t want that to happen. The Red Devils have already lost to Brighton once this season and will be desperate to beat the Seagulls in their bid to reach the final.

With both first-choice center-backs now injured for United, they will have to rely on Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof to keep things tight at the back, while the return of Marcus Rashford from injury is likely to come as a welcome boost for them in the attack.

Both the semi-finals will take place at England’s iconic Wembley Stadium as we prepare to know the finalists of this season’s FA Cup.

FA Cup 2022-23 semi-finals schedule and live India match time

All timings as per Indian Standard time (IST)

Date	Match	Start Time
April 22	Manchester City vs Sheffield United	9:15 PM
April 23	Manchester United vs Brighton	9:00 PM

Where to watch FA Cup 2022-23 semi-finals live in India?

Live streaming of the FA Cup 2022-23 semi-finals will be available on the SonyLiv app and website.

Live telecast of the FA Cup 2022-23 semi-finals can be seen on the Sony Ten Sports network in India.

Photo credit: Alamy

After failing to win any of their last five games across competitions, Chelsea will be desperate for a victory when they welcome Brighton to Stamford Bridge for a Premier League 2022-23 clash on Saturday, April 15. The match will start at 7:30 PM IST.

Both teams will be hoping for a win as they look to seal a spot in Europe, however, the hosts, under the tutelage of caretaker manager Frank Lampard, need a positive result from this encounter more than the Seagulls.

CHE vs BHA Dream11 prediction for Premier League 2022-23

Based on how both teams have fared this season, Brighton will head into this fixture as slight favourites somewhat surprisingly. The Seagulls are enjoying a wonderful campaign and find themselves seventh in the Premier League standings with 46 points from 28 games besides also being a part of the FA Cup semi-final lineup.

Chelsea, on the other hand, is 11th in the standings having accumulated 39 points from 30 games. They were beaten by Brighton earlier this season and will be eager to make amends. However, they will be aware that getting a win will be easier said than done against a confident Brighton side, who at the very least look capable of coming away with a point from west London.

CHE vs BHA Dream11 team tips for Premier League 2022-23

Top tip: Best forward - Evan Ferguson

One of the breakthrough stars of the ongoing Premier League campaign, Evan Ferguson’s goal-scoring exploits for Brighton will have put other big clubs on notice. Despite making just 27 appearances this season, Ferguson has scored 14 goals and provided five assists across all competitions. A skillful frontman who also has a physical presence, Ferguson’s ability to bully defences and score goals makes him an asset for any fantasy team.

Top tip: Best midfielder - Mitoma

Another revelation in the Premier League with the Seagulls this season, Kaoru Mitoma has been a livewire on the pitch for Brighton and is a constant threat to opposition defences while going forward. He’s scored 10 times and provided seven assists across competitions, making him a huge threat against Chelsea’s often frail defence. Adding him to your fantasy team is certain to bode well thanks to his ability to make a telling difference in close games with his smart decision-making, final balls, guile, and intelligence in the attacking third.

Top tip: Best defender - Reece James

Chelsea’s right-back Reece James is capable of being a massive threat to any opposition on his day. However, the Blues haven’t seen the best of him in the ongoing campaign thanks to a combination of a lack of team form as well as injuries. That said, he’s still capable of producing individual moments of brilliance when in the mood, making him a risky pick that can yield big rewards should he click against the Seagulls. A smart differentiator option, while Reece James is a gamble to go with, he could help your fantasy team score big.  

Top tip: Best goalkeeper - Kepa Arrizabalaga

Kepa Arrizabalaga hasn’t had a great season and that’s not entirely his fault. The Chelsea custodian has struggled in quite a few games this season alongside his team’s porous defence. That said, he has managed to keep a few clean sheets in his last few games while making some good saves. He’s likely to have a busy afternoon against Brighton’s enterprising attack, which could lead to him making saves and in turn earning you precious fantasy points.

Photo credits: Alamy

The FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round will ring in some domestic football action after the recent international break.

Manchester United, 12-time winners of the competition, host Middlesbrough at Old Trafford in the first of 16 games starting February 5.

The Red Devils are among the 14 Premier League still involved in the competition and will look to progress to the latter stages of a tournament they last won in 2015-16.

Frank Lampard will begin his tenure as Everton manager when Brentford visit Goodison Park for their FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round tie, while Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur host Brighton at home.

Nottingham Forest, who knocked out record FA Cup winners Arsenal in the previous round, will entertain defending champions Leicester City. The likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool have relatively easy opponents in Plymouth, Fulham and Cardiff City respectively.

Wolves and Norwich City lock horns in the third all-Premier League fixture in the FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round. 

FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round schedule, fixtures and live India match times

All timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST)

Day, Date	Match	Venue	Time
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Manchester United vs Middlesbrough	Old Trafford	1:30 AM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Chelsea vs Plymouth	Stamford Bridge	6 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Kidderminster Harriers vs West Ham	Aggborough	6 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Crystal Palace vs Hartlepool United	Selhurst Park	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Everton vs Brentford	Goodison Park	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Huddersfield vs Barnsley	John Smith's Stadium	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Manchester City vs Fulham	Etihad Stadium	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Petersborough vs Queens Park Rangers	Weston Homes Stadium	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Southampton vs Coventry	St. Mary's Stadium	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Stoke City vs Wigan Athletic	Bet365 Stadium	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Wolves vs Norwich City	Molineux Stadium	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Cambridge United vs Luton Town	Abbey Stadium	11 pm
Sunday, February 6, 2022	Tottenham Hotspur vs Brighton	Tottenham Hotspur Stadium	1:30 AM
Sunday, February 6, 2022	Liverpool vs Cardiff City	Anfield	5:30 PM
Sunday, February 6, 2022	Nottingham Forest vs Leicester City	City Ground	9:30 PM
Monday, February 7, 2022	Bournemouth vs Boreham Wood	Vitality Stadium	12 AM

Where to watch the FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round live in India?

The FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round will be telecast on Sony TEN 2, Sony TEN 2 HD, Sony SIX and Sony SIX HD TV channels in India.

Live streaming of the FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round in India will be available on the SonyLIV app and website.

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Featured photo: AFP / Adrian Dennis

Gameweek 2 of the 2020-21 Premier League campaign was the highest-scoring week of action in the competition’s 20-club history. The teams combined to score 44 goals with three matches witnessing seven goals netted. There were also two hat-trick scorers in the latest gameweek as Dominic Calvert-Lewin bagged a treble in Goodison Park, while Son Heung-min scored four times for Tottenham Hotspur in their 5-2 victory over Southampton.

Liverpool the team to beat again

Any hope that Liverpool’s focus may not be on the prize after finally ending their long wait to win the Premier League seems to be fast dissipating with every passing week. The champions were in action against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last week and demonstrated why they are favourites to successfully defend their league title.

Even though Chelsea went a man down in the first half and a goalkeeping error didn’t help their cause either, Liverpool’s intensity and determination to succeed prevented the Blues from playing their natural game. They showcased just how to exploit a team playing with 10 men as you’d expect from champions. With two wins in the league from two, the Reds are quick off the blocks once again this season and if the early signs are anything to go by then they will need some stopping.

Contrasting starts to the season for Manchester clubs

Although both Manchester clubs were involved in the latter stages of European competition last season, leading to a delayed start to their new campaigns, the two teams�?Premier League starts were very different. First up on Saturday was Manchester United and the Red Devils looked way off the pace as they ended up being dominated at Old Trafford by Crystal Palace and succumbed to a season opening 1-3 defeat. The lack of fitness and match sharpness will worry United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who knows his side must improve soon.

11 - Manchester City haven’t lost their opening game in any of their last 11 Premier League seasons (W10 D1), winning the last nine in a row. No side has ever won 10 consecutive season openers in the competition before. Traps. pic.twitter.com/kEDlKOJIMp

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 21, 2020

City, on the other hand, were on the ball in their encounter against Wolverhampton Wanderers, especially in the first half. And while they did fade a bit in the second half against Wolves, Pep Guardiola’s men hung on to claim a win and show Liverpool that they have the stomach for a title challenge this season and will not allow the Reds to be runaway champions as they were last campaign.

Fulham, West Bromwich Albion look destined for the drop

Newly-promoted clubs will always find it difficult in the Premier League and Fulham as well as West Bromwich Albion can attest to that. After shipping three goals at home against Arsenal in their opening fixture of the season, Fulham conceded four times in a 3-4 defeat against Leeds United this past week. Their defensive frailties and lack of cutting edge with the exception of Aleksandar Mitrović were evident for all to see and will be something to improve on if they are to beat the drop.

West Brom’s start to the season is even worse than that of Fulham’s. They currently find themselves at the bottom of the standings after two defeats which saw them concede eight times and have a player as well as their manager sent off. Next up in the Premier League for the Baggies is a visit from Chelsea and manager Slaven Bilic will want his players to take something from the game and get their first points of the season.

Everton’s displays make for a competitive top half of the table

Undoubtedly the surprise team after the first few game weeks, Everton are certainly the most improved club in the Premier League this season. The strengthening of their midfield with the addition of James Rodriguez and Allan by manager Carlo Ancelotti seems to have had a transformative effect on the rest of his players.

1 - Dominic Calvert-Lewin (23y & 187d) is the youngest ever Englishman to score a Premier League hat-trick for Everton. Toffee. pic.twitter.com/bUtso9ZdMY

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 19, 2020

Calvert-Lewin’s early season form has also contributed to Everton’s solid start to the season and it will be interesting to see if they can maintain their momentum in the coming week when they face Crystal Palace, who have also won both their first two league games. Regardless of anything else, Everton’s start to the campaign suggests that we’re in for a tight top 10 that also features the likes of Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and the traditional big six.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Matt Dunham

Brighton have confirmed the signing of former Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana on a free transfer on Monday.

Former England international Lallana agreed a three-year contract with Brighton just 24 hours after the end of the Premier League season.

The 32-year-old, whose deal with Liverpool expired after their final game on Sunday, was targeted by Everton, Leicester and Burnley before opting to join Graham Potter's side.

"Adam is a really exciting signing for us, someone I'm sure the supporters will be really looking forward to seeing play as and when things are able to begin to return to normal," Potter told Brighton's website.

The journey so far...

@premierleague winner
@ChampionsLeague winner
34 @England caps#BHAFC ⚪️

�?Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) July 27, 2020

"To have both his experience and quality out on the pitch will be a great addition for us, and I know he will be an excellent role model for our younger players in the squad."

During his time at Liverpool, Lallana won the Champions League, the Premier League, the European Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

"There is no doubting Adam's quality, and if you look at his footballing CV his ability is clear for everyone to see," Potter said.

"He has played at the very highest level, for both club and country, and achieved great things. He has a wealth of experience alongside his technical quality.

"The honours he won during his time at Liverpool, and the high regard in which he is held at Anfield, only further underline his ability and character."

The first interview with the new man!

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�?Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) July 27, 2020

Lallana, who has won 34 caps for England, made 22 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions this season.

The popular playmaker, who didn't feature for the Reds after the coronavirus hiatus, said an emotional farewell to his Liverpool team-mates at the club's training ground on Friday.

He was presented with a framed memento by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, which featured pictures of his finest moments for the club.

Lallana made 196 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, scoring 30 goals and providing 28 assists after arriving from Southampton in 2014.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

West Bromwich Albion clinched promotion to the Premier League with a 2-2 draw against QPR as rivals Brentford faltered on a dramatic final day of the Championship season.

Slaven Bilic's side will join Championship title winners Leeds in the top-flight next season after a nail-biting Wednesday night at the Hawthorns.

With third-placed Brentford beaten 2-1 by Barnsley and fourth-placed Fulham held to a 1-1 draw at Wigan, Albion finished in second place to secure their return to the Premier League after two seasons away.

In a riveting finale in the second tier, 2013 FA Cup winners Wigan were relegated to League One along with Hull and Charlton.

But the focus was on West Brom, who had blown a chance to consolidate their place in the top two when they were beaten by Huddersfield on Friday.

Once again, they made heavy weather of it against a QPR side with nothing to play for, but all that was forgotten as they celebrated a thrilling promotion.

Ryan Manning's superb low drive gave QPR a shock lead after 34 minutes.

Grady Diangana equalised just before half-time when he fired in after Callum Robinson set him free.

Diangana and Robinson combined again five minutes after the break to put the Baggies ahead.

West Ham loanee Diangana eased away from two QPR defenders and his cross found the unmarked Robinson to tap in.

QPR weren't making it easy for West Brom and the tension mounted after Eberechi Eze lashed a 61st-minute equaliser into the top corner.

West Brom's attention turned to Griffin Park, where Brentford were unable to take advantage as they chased a first season in the top-flight in 73 years.

West Brom joy

Brentford, who missed a chance to go second when they lost at Stoke on Saturday, found themselves trailing when Barnsley's Callum Styles struck in the 40th minute.

With a West Brom draw, victory would have taken Brentford up and Josh Dasilva's curler from the edge of the area drew them level in the 72nd minute.

But in stoppage-time, Clarke Oduor tapped in Barnsley's winner and news quickly spread to the Hawthorns, where Bilic implored his players to defend the point that would take them up.

Barnsley's surprise victory lifted them out of the relegation zone in the most dramatic fashion.

Brentford will have to pick themselves up for the playoffs, where they will face a two-legged semi-final against Swansea, who made a stunning climb into sixth place with a 4-1 win at Reading.

Swansea took the place of Nottingham Forest, whose 4-1 home defeat against Stoke knocked them below the Welsh club on goal difference.

The other playoff semi-final will see Fulham face fifth-placed Cardiff, who eased to a 3-0 win over bottom of the table Hull.

Troubled Wigan are relegated following the end-of-season deduction of 12 points for going into administration earlier this month.

The Latics, who were last in the Premier League in 2013, had reached 59 points, but the deduction reduced their total to 47, which left them in the relegation zone.

Wigan have appealed against the points penalty, which was triggered when the controversial sale of the club left them in the hands of new owners, who immediately opted to go into administration.

Charlton went down after a 4-0 thrashing at Leeds, who were presented with the Championship trophy -- their first silverware since 1992.

Luton climbed out of the bottom three at Charlton's expense after a 3-2 win over Blackburn.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

Wolves moved closer to a place in the Europa League with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, while Sheffield United's own European hopes were dashed by a 1-0 defeat against Everton on Monday.

At the other end of the Premier League table, Brighton guaranteed their Premier League survival with a 0-0 draw against Newcastle.

Wolves, now unbeaten in three games, opened the scoring four minutes before half-time at Molineux.

Andros Townsend lost possession and Joao Moutinho found Matt Doherty, who crossed for Portuguese midfielder Daniel Podence to head his first goal for Wolves.

Jonny condemned Palace to a seventh successive defeat in the 68th minute, turning to fire home from close-range after Adama Traore and Raul Jimenez carved open the Palace defence.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side climbed to sixth place, one point above Tottenham, and will be certain to qualify for the Europa League if they win at Chelsea in their last game of the season on Sunday.

They would also qualify if Tottenham lose at Palace in their final match.

"The idea of improvement and the building process makes sense and today we achieved two more points than last season with one game to go," Nuno said.

"Sunday's game is very difficult but let's prepare well and compete."

At Bramall Lane, Sheffield United were handed a second successive defeat, ending their bid to cap a superb first season back in the top-flight by earning a European berth.

Carlo Ancelotti's team won it in the 46th minute when Brazil forward Richarlison met Gylfi Sigurdsson's free-kick with a glancing header for his 15th goal of the season.

Chris Wilder's eighth-placed side are five points behind Wolves and four points adrift of Tottenham with one game left.

"I'm disappointed for the players today. But what you try and do in a season is to get your club to overachieve and we have ridiculously overachieved," Wilder said.

"Top six should never have been in the equation from the minute we set foot into the division. There are a lot of clubs that would swap places with us."

The teams who finish fifth and sixth are certain to reach next season's Europa League.

If the FA Cup winners finish in the top six, then the seventh place would also qualify for the Europa League.

Arsenal, who face third-placed Chelsea in the FA Cup final, are currently 10th, meaning Tottenham are in danger of a first season without Europe competition since 2009-10.

Brighton avoid the drop

At the Amex Stadium, Brighton got the point they needed to be mathematically certain of avoiding relegation.

Graham Potter's side were already virtually certain to stay up before the match because their goal difference is far superior to third-from-bottom Aston Villa -- the only team in the relegation zone who could have caught them.

Brighton have won just two of their last 17 league games, but ending a run of three successive home defeats moved them seven points clear of the bottom three, with Villa having just two games left.

"At this stage of the season, we can talk about performances but it's about getting the points you need," Potter said.

"It's been a unique season in what we've had to deal with. It's been a challenge. 

"We've come through. Job done. I'm very proud to be in the Premier League next season."

Injury-hit Newcastle's frailties at the back were on display when Emil Krafth failed to clear properly and then slipped over in his own area. 

Neal Maupay stole possession but let Newcastle off the hook with a wayward finish before Leandro Trossard brought a good save from Martin Dubravka.

Miguel Almiron forced a smart stop from Brighton keeper Mat Ryan before Newcastle substitute Andy Carroll headed wide from close-range.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Richard Heathcote

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said Bruno Fernandes has brought a winning mentality to Manchester United after his brace inspired an impressive 3-0 win at Brighton on Tuesday.

Cajoled by the dazzling Fernandes, United produced one of their best performances of the season at the Amex Stadium.

Mason Greenwood opened the scoring early in the first half and Fernandes doubled the lead before the interval. The Portuguese netted again after half-time with a fine volley as United climbed above Wolves on goal difference to take fifth place in the Premier League.

"Bruno has come and been fantastic. He has brought that winning mentality with him, that 99 percent is not good enough. It has to be 100 percent," Solskjaer said.

"I've got more than one game-changer. The third goal was a great team goal. To see so many players sprinting forward to get on the end of it was fantastic. A great finish by Bruno."

Solskjaer's side are two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who play their game in hand at West Ham on Wednesday.

With fifth place securing qualification for the Champions League if second-placed Manchester City's European ban is upheld, United are in a strong position to return to the continent's elite club competition.

If they make it, United will owe a huge debt of gratitude to Fernandes, who has scored six goals since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in January.

The Portugal midfielder's role in revitalising United cannot be understated.

They were mired in a major slump before Fernandes' signing, but are now on a 15-game unbeaten run in all competitions, including three successive wins.

"It's a joy to watch them when you see them express themselves like that," Solskjaer said.

"The confidence comes from performances. They worked hard during the lockdown and we know we have loads to play for. I don't care about making a statement, I know we are a good team."

United are also looking more solid at the back with eight clean sheets in their last 13 league matches.

With a run-in that includes games against Bournemouth, Aston Villa and West Ham, Solskjaer's men could enjoy a memorable conclusion to the campaign as they also chase success in the FA Cup and Europa League.

Brighton had taken four points from two games since the restart, easing their relegation fears, but this defeat means they aren't completely safe yet.

- Complete control -

Harry Maguire led United's charge with a long pass to Paul Pogba, who rolled it into the path of Fernandes for a fierce drive that cannoned back off the post.

Solskjaer this week warned United's strikers they must improve if they want to stay in the team. It was a message that Greenwood had clearly taken to heart as the 18-year-old produced a fine strike to open the scoring in the 16th minute.

Cutting in from the right, Greenwood froze Lewis Dunk with a nimble step-over and drilled a low shot past Brighton keeper Mat Ryan at his near post.

"He's a special talent. He's getting better. You can see clearly that he's maturing and improving," Solskjaer said of Greenwood.

"He's still only 18 so we will see more from him."

Greenwood's 13th goal of the season in all competitions was the signal for United to take complete control.

Maguire almost made it two with a header that looped narrowly wide and in the 29th minute Brighton cracked again.

Luke Shaw's run unhinged the Albion defence and Pogba worked the ball back to Fernandes, whose shot deflected off Alexis Mac Allister and squirmed past Ryan from the edge of the area.

Fernandes wasn't finished yet and he put the game out of Brighton's reach at the climax of a swaggering United counter in the 50th minute.

Nemanja Matic's cross-field pass sent Greenwood sprinting away down the left and the teenager unfurled a perfect cross for Fernandes to volley past Ryan from 12 yards.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Andy Rain

Neal Maupay played the villain twice over for Arsenal as the Frenchman netted a vital stoppage-time winner for Brighton, while Wolves closed on the top four with a 2-0 win at West Ham on Saturday.

In the first full weekend of English Premier League matches since the shutdown in March, Arsenal's faint chances of a return to the Champions League next season faded further after blowing a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1.

The Gunners' cause wasn't helped by an injury to goalkeeper Bernd Leno, whose screams echoed round the empty Amex Stadium after an awkward fall provoked by a slight push by Maupay.

The German twisted his knee and pointed the finger angrily at Maupay as he was stretchered from the field.

"I think he had a hyperextension of the knee and we have to assess the damage," said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

Nicolas Pepe put the visitors ahead in the 68th minute with a superb strike.

But Arsenal's defensive frailties were exposed seven minutes later when Brighton defender Lewis Dunk stabbed home from close-range.

Adding insult to injury for Arsenal, deep into stoppage-time Aaron Connolly helped the ball on to Maupay and he kept his head for a fine finish.

Maupay and Matteo Guendouzi then had to be separated at full-time as tempers flared.

"Some of their players need to learn what is humility, especially one of them. He was talking all game, he was saying bad things," said Maupay. "This is what happens when you talk too much on the pitch."

Arteta's side are languishing in 10th place, eight points adrift of the top four, and may not even qualify for the Europa League.

"It is unacceptable in the way we lost the game. The fact we missed so many chances and we did not compete for the second goal," said the Arsenal boss.

Brighton's first win in 2020 moved them five points clear of the relegation zone.

- Wolves make their move -

After seeing Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United and Sheffield United fail to win on their return, Wolves were the first side to make a move on the top four.

Substitute Adama Traore enlivened a sleepy encounter at the London Stadium with a brilliant run and cross to tee up Raul Jimenez to head home the opener 17 minutes from time.

Pedro Neto then crashed home a spectacular second on the volley as Nuno Espirito Santo's men moved level on points with Manchester United in fifth, just two points behind Chelsea.

Leicester remain well on course for Champions League football themselves next season, but Brendan Rodgers's men were denied a winning return by Craig Dawson's late equaliser for Watford in a 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road.

In a remarkable conclusion, England left-back Ben Chilwell's superb 90th-minute strike seemed to have handed the Foxes all three points.

However, Dawson secured a vital point in Watford's challenge to beat the drop with an acrobatic effort three minutes later to score his first goal for the club.

A point edged third-placed Leicester eight clear of Wolves and United, while Watford move a point above the relegation zone.

Bournemouth remain in the drop zone as they conceded twice in the first 23 minutes to lose 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace.

Luka Milivojevic and Jordan Ayew scored for the Eagles, who move up to ninth.

- Liverpool set to return -

On Sunday, the stage is set for Liverpool to return for the first time since the top-flight hiatus when the title chasers make the short trip to city rivals Everton.

Jurgen Klopp's side, 22 points clear of second-placed Manchester City, need two wins from their remaining nine games to end their 30-year wait to be crowned English champions.

If the Reds beat Everton, they can wrap up the title with another victory against Palace at Anfield on Wednesday.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Richard Heathcote