Weekend Review: Top five tug-of-war continues with mixed results for chasing pack 

Newcastle United (6/5) beat Chelsea (2/1) 2-0 at St James’ Park on Sunday afternoon in a clash between two contenders for a Champions League place next season, while elsewhere the bookies were left buzzing.  

Goals from Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães helped the home side secure all three points against a Chelsea side hamstrung by the first half sending off of Nicolas Jackson.  

Elsewhere, Liverpool (6/5) were held to a 2-2 draw by second-placed Arsenal (21/10) at Anfield, meaning the Gunners have to wait another week to secure a place in Europe’s top competition.  

The champions raced to a two-goal lead after strikes from Cody Gakpo and Luis Díaz, before Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino drew Arsenal level – although the latter was sent off with ten minutes left to play.

A guard of honour for the @premierleague champions pic.twitter.com/eW69YpJqcl

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 11, 2025

One of the more surprising results of the weekend saw Manchester City (1/5) held to a 0-0 draw away at already-relegated Southampton (12/1), a result which confirmed the Saints won’t finish the season with the joint-lowest points total in Premier League history.  

Aston Villa (7/4) kept themselves in the Champions League race with a 1-0 win away at Bournemouth (3/2), while Nottingham Forest (2/5) failed to capitalise on dropped points above them after drawing 2-2 at home to Leicester City (6/1).  

Betway spokesman Mike Reading said: “If ever there was a result to favour the layers, Saturday’s goalless draw between Manchester City and Southampton was it.

“With Erling Haaland returning from injury to lead the line and Pep Guardiola’s side desperate for points to secure Champions League qualification, few saw this as the fixture that would bust their accumulator.”

Manchester United (1/1) and Tottenham (21/10) matched each other’s poor preparation for their upcoming meeting in the Europa League final, with both sides losing 2-0 at home to West Ham (5/2) and Crystal Palace (5/4), respectively.  

“Sunday brought more good news for the bookmakers. Europa League finalists Manchester United and Tottenham both slumped to defeats, while the weekend’s marquee clash between Liverpool and Arsenal ended in a draw with punter favourite Mohamed Salah kept unusually quiet,” Reading added.

FDJ UNITED’s Ali Gill explained how the operator came out ahead after the weekend’s Premier League fixtures.

He said: “In the Premier League it was a good weekend for the traders as we came out ahead in all 10 games played, although in most cases not by a huge amount.  

“The best result for the book was clearly Man City being held to a 0-0 draw against relegated Southampton, while Forest drawing and Man Utd losing were notable positives.

“A thriller on Merseyside as Arsenal clawed back a 2-2 against champions Liverpool, that one also left us ahead, but the four goals put a bit of a dampener on the overall position.” 

20 matches remain. pic.twitter.com/fKi5VxaD24

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 12, 2025

Bet365’s Steve Freeth remarked: “Saturday’s Premier League was terrific with 1/5 Manchester City and 1/2 Brentford scoring just one goal between them against sides that are already preparing for the Championship, and we saw more of the same on Sunday with 2/5 Nottingham Forest failing to beat Leicester in a coupon where both teams to score landed in just three games.”

Betfred’s Alan Firkins also reflected on the state of play regarding the race for European places. 

He added: “The race for Champions League places is compelling, with Forest’s aberration a massive hinderance to their prospects; while Newcastle advanced their case by beating Chelsea at St James’, likewise Villa with a slender victory at Bournemouth.  

“With two games to play, Champions Liverpool await their richly deserved trophy on 83 points, but from Arsenal, second at present with 68, it’s then just six points down to seventh-placed Forest.” 

In Europe, Barcelona (9/10) and Real Madrid (12/5) played out a thrilling 4-3 El Clasico as the Catalans look to have put one hand on the La Liga title.  

Kylian Mbappé’s hat-trick proved insufficient for a Carlo Ancelotti side that took a two-goal lead, before being felled by goals from Eric García, Lamine Yamal and a brace by Raphinha. 

The result leaves Barcelona with a seven-point lead at the top of the table with just three games left to play.  

Barcelona are the first team in ElClásico history to go 4-0-0 in the rivalry in a single season

ABSOLUTE DOMINANCE pic.twitter.com/IgmiWpcKjf

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 11, 2025

Freeth said: “As expected, El Clasico dominated the European coupon as we paid out on Real Madrid before 15 minutes were on the clock and then on Barcelona just before half time. Thank goodness it ended 4-3 and not 4-4, with us having to pay on all three outcomes. All the usual suspects either scoring or assisting made it a miserable seven-goal thriller for us with 708 pre-game wagers on Kylian Mbappé notching a hat-trick.”

Gill added: “Yet another goal-fest of an El Clasico on Sunday unsurprisingly topped the turnover table for the weekend, as Barcelona look to have taken the La Liga title. Barca were well fancied, and seven goals is never a layer-friendly outcome, so that one went the way of the players.”

Meanwhile, in Spain, third-placed Atlético Madrid (4/5) ran out 4-0 winners at home to Real Sociedad (15/4), with Alexander Sørloth scoring all four goals.  

The Serie A title race took another twist at the weekend, with leaders Napoli (13/50) drawing 2-2 at home to Genoa (9/1).  

That allowed second-place Inter Milan (7/10) to close the gap at the top to just one point after beating Torino (4/1) 2-0 away from home.  

Ten-men Juventus (23/10) conceded a last-minute equaliser away at Lazio (13/10) in a 1-1 draw, while AC Milan (6/5) ran out 3-1 winners at home to Bologna (11/5).  

In Germany, Bayern Munich (13/100) celebrated lifting the Bundesliga trophy in style with a 2-0 home win over Borussia Monchengladbach (12/1).  

What a feeling ! pic.twitter.com/A0lmSJGlYL

— Harry Kane (@HKane) May 10, 2025

In Xabi Alonso’s penultimate game as manager, Bayer Leverkusen (3/2) fell to a 4-2 home defeat at the hands of Borussia Dortmund (3/2).  

Freeth noted that punters came out on top with the weekend’s European fixtures overall.

He said: “Punters held the upper hand in Europe with a number of winning favourites put together in accumulators on Saturday, 4/5 Atletico Madrid smashing Real Sociedad and 1/3 Mallorca also beating Real Valladolid in La Liga.  

“As a football fan, it was great to see Harry Kane finally lift a trophy as 1/8 Bayern Munich confirmed the Bundesliga title with a 2-0 success plus both 2/5 PSG and 4/9 Marseille winning on the road in Ligue 1. 

“And, as well as 5/6 Barcelona on Sunday, we had 5/4 Leganes and 21/20 Athletic Bilbao obliging in La Liga and 31/20 Borussia Dortmund ruining Xabi Alonso’s home farewell as Bayer Leverkusen were thumped 4-2 in the Bundesliga. 

“We did get some help in Serie A with 1/4 Napoli dropping vital points at home to Genoa, and already-relegated Monza winning at 8/13 Udinese, but we came out second best in Europe this weekend.” 

In horseracing, Great Generation (11/2) romped home in the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield, beating out Jabaara (11/4) and Spiritual (9/1).  

In the Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes, the Aiden O’Brien-trained favourite Puppet Master (4/5) claimed victory ahead of Stay True (5/2) and Nightime Dancer (9/1). While, at Ascot, Hickory (22/1) edged out the favourite Kirat (5/1) in the Victoria Cup.  

EXTREMELY close finish

Hickory beats Qirat by a WHISKER in the Schweppes Victoria Cup #ITVRacing | @Ascot | @OsborneSaffie | @osbornejamie pic.twitter.com/mcRPuB5A0r

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 10, 2025

Firkins said: “Aidan O’Brien has enjoyed a stellar week even by his rarified standards, taking all Betfred Derby and Betfred Oaks trials run in recent days at Chester, Lingfield and Leopardstown.  

“This week it’s the turn of York, with the Musidora (Oaks trial) and Dante (Derby) on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.”