LIVERPOOL — This was billed as a decisive day in the Premier League title race and it duly delivered.
Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool now have one hand on the Premier League trophy after a 3-1 win against Manchester City, as they moved nine points clear of Pep Guardiola‘s reigning champs and eight points clear of second-place Leicester City.
Liverpool remain unbeaten through the first 12 games of this season, they have lost once in their last 51 Premier League games and they are unbeaten in their last 29 games in the competition.
Here’s what we learned from a dramatic battle at Anfield, as the lopsided scoreline doesn’t tell the whole story.
VAR DRAMA ‘HANDS’ LIVERPOOL HUGE TITLE ADVANTAGE
Man City should have had a penalty kick but 20 seconds later they trailed 1-0. There was a clear handball in the box as Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s outstretched arm flicked onto his leg and as Sergio Aguero stopped and remonstrated with the officials, Liverpool broke and the ball was half cleared to Fabinho who drilled home to make it 1-0. VAR was then used to have a look at the goal and although Bernardo Silva did touch the ball with his arm just before Alexander-Arnold did, there was no advantage to be gained as it was clearly accidental as his arm wasn’t in an unnatural position like TAA’s was. Unlike the IFAB rules which were made clearer after Aymeric Laporte handled in the build up to Gabriel Jesus‘ later winner was chalked off against Spurs in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg last season.
VAR got this big call wrong. Referee Michael Oliver had a clear view of the situation but waved away the penalty calls from Man City. VAR didn’t deem it to be a clear and obvious error. It was. VAR has become a farce and it set the tone for Liverpool to take the lead early on and go nine points clear of Man City in the title race. Pep Guardiola and his staff were livid in the technical area all game long as a few other penalty calls were checked and waved away by VAR. The first one was the most clear and obvious and it was obviously, and clearly, a mistake.
MAN CITY WERE THE BETTER, MORE DANGEROUS TEAM
In the first half alone Alisson denied Sergio Aguero twice, Aneglino hit the post and Kevin De Bruyne flashed across some wicked deliveries which John Stones and Fernandinho couldn’t get on the end of. In the second half Raheem Sterling was denied by a great block and Aguero somehow missed the ball totally when he was two yards out and the goal was gaping. Man City weren’t clinical enough and Liverpool made them pay. That coupled with VAR calls going the other way on Liverpool’s two first half goals culminated in a lopsided defeat for Man City.
Pep Guardiola’s side controlled the game, Fernandinho and John Stones looked fairly assured and although Claudio Bravo was partly at fault for the third goal he looked solid enough. After this game Man City will be scratching their heads as to how on earth they lost. But they did, and Man City have now failed to win on any of their last 17 Premier League trips to Anfield. Sergio Aguero has never scored there. Klopp has beaten Guardiola more times than any other manager. Man City’s players were cagey at times with Sterling, De Bruyne and Aguero all guilty of uncharacteristic mistakes. City played well enough but the reigning champions were taught a ruthless lesson by the champions elect.
LIVERPOOL A DIFFERENT MACHINE AS TITLE GLORY AWAITS
This Liverpool team are ruthless. When they sense an opportunity to win, they take it. And they did just that on Sunday. That is why they will win the Premier League this season. They are a different machine in 2019-20. Klopp’s side are eight points clear atop the table and yes, there are still 26 games to go, but something absolutely unfathomable would have to happen for them not to be crowned Premier League champions this season. Liverpool have addd a steely edge to their play, a ruthless streak which enables them to make the most of their opponents weaknesses.
They now bend but don’t break. It’s crazy to say this, but Liverpool weren’t at their best on Sunday and they haven’t been for much of this season. But they are nine points ahead of Man City and beat them 3-1 to extend their unbeaten run at home to 46 games. These are the kind of results which sum up why teams are destined to win titles. Liverpool’s 30-year wait for a title is so close, but still so far, from being over.
Manchester United’s new-look side reclaimed a place in the top four, and so did Newcastle. Brighton and Aston Villa surprised by qualifying for Europe, while Liverpool dips into an unusual competition for its recent standards.
Teams were relegated. Managers were sacked. Goals were scored. And all the storylines are below.
Below are the answers to all of the questions you had around the Premier League fixtures and everything else you needed to know for the season, with full details on the Premier League TV schedule across the NBC family of channels and more.
The Premier League fixtures for the 2022-23 season were announced on Thursday June 16, 2022 at 4am ET. Below is the full schedule, as you can watch all 380 games across our NBC platforms.
The Premier League fixture computer decides who plays who and when, as teams located close to one another are usually playing at home on opposite weekends to help with policing, crowd control and transport congestion in those areas.
When did the Premier League take a break for the 2022 World Cup?
When did the 2022-23 Premier League season finish?
The final day of the season was Sunday, May 28, 2023.
Which teams competed in the 2022-23 Premier League?
These are the 20 teams which competed in the Premier League for the upcoming season:
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Hove Albion, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham, Leeds United, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Predictions for 2022-23 Premier League season
We made a few bold predictions ahead of the Premier League campaign, which you can read in full here. And we’ve also predicted how we think the Premier League table will look at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. I’m sure you agreed wholeheartedly with these predictions… and aren’t judging us for their inaccuracies.
2022-23 Premier League TV schedule
Below are the Premier League fixtures in full, with all kick offs listed at 10am ET unless otherwise stated:
Matchweek 38 – Championship Sunday
Sunday 28 May – All games kicked off at 11:30am ET
Watch all 10 Championship Sunday games live on Peacock
LIVERPOOL – Everton saved themselves from a first-ever Premier League relegation on the final day of the season, as Abdoulaye Doucoure was the hero with his stunning winner against Bournemouth.
At half time Leicester were winning against West Ham which meant Everton were being relegated for the first time in the PL era and their hopes of extending their incredible top-flight active streak to 70-straight seasons were in real danger. Goodison was full of boos and images of doom at the final whistle.
But Doucoure smashed home a stunning goal with just over 30 minutes to go to send Goodison Park wild as Bournemouth pushed hard for an equalizer late on but Everton held on and got the win they needed to stay up.
Sean Dyche was a relieved man at the final whistle as Everton won five of his 17 games in charge to keep their pride top-flight history intact despite growing turmoil behind-the-scenes at the club.
They were set up with five at the back from the start and it was too negative. Dyche got it right though. All they needed was one loose ball to drop to the right onrushing central midfielder and it did in the second half as Doucoure hammered home. It was a brilliant finish in what wasn’t a brilliant game. But Everton and Dyche don’t care. With loads of injuries they found a way to get it done and the history books show that Everton have still never been relegated from the Premier League and only Arsenal have a longer active top-flight streak as they will be playing at England’s top table next season, their 70th consecutive at the top level. Off the pitch there are financial issues to solve which could impact them next season but Dyche has done his job and if Everton are smart they should give him the tools to rip things up and rebuild the squad. Just staying up like this can’t happen again to Everton. They said that last season but look what happened. This time they have to make sure they are never in the relegation scrap again. A club of Everton’s size should never be in this situation.
🔵🚨 From here at Goodison Park, this is the moment Everton survived relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season. #EFCpic.twitter.com/QrMequwsjz
How to watch Everton vs Bournemouth live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 11:30am ET, Sunday TV Channel: USA Network Online: Stream via NBCSports.com
Everton vs Bournemouth live analysis! – By Joe Prince-Wright at Goodison Park
THEY HAVE DONE IT! EVERTON HAVE SURVIVED! FULL TIME: EVERTON 1-0 BOURNEMOUTH – It is party time here at Goodison.
🤯🔵🆙 Reflecting on a CRAZY day here at Goodison Park, as Everton got the win they needed against Bournemouth to save themselves from a first-ever Premier League relegation ⤵️ #EFC#EVEBOU
SAVE! Jordan Pickford makes a fine save to deny a volley from Vina.
10 minutes of stoppage time. 10!
Bournemouth have a free kick as the clock ticks into the 90th minute…
Everton are doing their best to hang out but they are dropping deep. Bournemouth having a go. After Pickford was down for a wild getting treatment, there will be a lot of stoppage time.
GOALLLL! Everton 1-0 Bournemouth – Goodison Park has gone bonkers. Abdoulaye Doucoure smashes home a stunner to put the Toffees ahead.
ABDOULAYE DOUCOURE BLOWS THE ROOF OFF AT GOODISON PARK!
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) May 28, 2023
WHAT A CHANCE! A free kick is flicked on and it falls to Demarai Gray 6 yards out. He heads it straight at Travers. Then Bournemouth somehow scramble clear. The home fans can’t believe it.
The second half is underway. No changes for Everton. It is very tense here.
HALF TIME: Everton 0-0 Bournemouth – Half time here at their are loud boos from the home fans.
SAVE! Mark Travers with a good punch away and he then pushes over James Garner’s curling shot from the edge of the box.
A HUGE stop by Travers to keep Everton off the scoresheet just before the half!
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) May 28, 2023
BLOCK! What a block from Yerry Mina after Bournemouth made the most of some poor Everton defending. Excellent from David Brooks there.
You get the sense things were very defensive from the start from Sean Dyche as he stated with a back five.
CLOSE! Senesi squirms a shot wide of the far post after Bournemouth cause havoc in the box. The atmosphere is very, very quite here.
First, as it stands of today – Leicester City have gone 1-0 up against West Ham. With Everton drawing here at Goodison against Bournemouth, that means the Toffees are going down. Chants of “going down, going down!” from the Bournemouth fans in the away end. Everton’s fans are stunned.
BIG CHANCEEE! Idrissa Gana Gueye is played in but his shot is tipped over. Should be 1-0 to Everton. Moments later Travers tips away a shot from distance
A cross is whipped into the box but there isn’t an Everton player anywhere near it. Huge roars of discontent from the home fans. They want more attacking intent from their team.
The home fans are driving their team on. Everton seeing a lot of the ball but it is mostly from wide positions.
Demarai Gray with a half chance as he wriggles free but his shot/cross is cleared at the near post.
KICK OFF! We are underway and it has been a tense start. Everton’s fans are urging their team on but they’re in a back five. Bournemouth have had some good chances to whip it in from the right but the quality hasn’t been there on the final ball.
🔥🔥🔥 WHAT AN ATMOSPHERE! Welcome to Goodison Park. It is so loud here.
The nerves continue to build here at Goodison. 45 minutes until kick off. Everton fans just want to get this started. This has to be excruciating for them. Meanwhile in the away end the Bournemouth fans are having a lovely time in the sun. Completely opposite atmosphere.
As we sit in the press box in the main stand at Goodison, you can hear a wall of noise approaching the stadium from every angle. Great atmosphere building here.
Team news is out and there are two changes for Everton as Conor Coady comes in for the injured Nathan Patterson. Demarai Gray starts up top in place of the injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Looks like Coady is at right back and McNeil is at left back. Bournemouth are without captain and star goalkeeper Neto who misses out due to personal reasons.
Hello and welcome to Goodison Park, where the nerves are jangling, the sun is shining and the flares are plentiful! The equation is simple for Everton: win and they will stay up. Lose or draw and their safety is out of their hands. Get ready for an intense few hours.
😬🔵☀️Welcome to Goodison Park!
Where the nerves are jangling, the sun is shining and the flares are plentiful.
An intense, and pivotal, day awaits on the final day of the season for Everton. Can they stay up and secure a 70th straight top-flight season? #EFC#EVEBOUpic.twitter.com/xOjxY0gyF8
Everton have really been through it with injuries in recent weeks and the fact that Calvert-Lewin is once again struggling means that Dyche may play without a recognized striker on the final day. Defensively they have issues at full back but they have hung in there and the home crowd has inspired them on several occasions as they are within one win of safety.
Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto has been exceptional, so too has Dominic Solanke and Dango Ouattara at the other end of the pitch as there has been a really nice balance about the Cherries over the last few months as they stayed up without much stress in the end. In the reverse game in November Bournemouth beat Everton 3-0 to spark ugly scenes in the away end as the Everton fans turned on their players and demanded and were hugely disappointed with the display.
Everton team news, injuries, lineup
OUT: Seamus Coleman (hamstring), Dele Alli (groin), Ruben Vinagre (achilles), Andros Townsend (knee), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (thigh), Nathan Patterson (thigh), Tom Davies (thigh), Vitalii Mykolenko (thigh), Ben Godfrey (groin)
The relegation picture took center stage in terms of headlines going into the final week of the Premier League season, but several clubs took their last game of the season to show fans what might be possible in the future.
Arsenal showed that there’s desire left in their tank despite a sad stretch run, Manchester United showed a seriousness to their comeback bid, and Southampton hollered down to the Championship to look out for Saints.
But, yes, all focus is on Goodison Park, where Everton did what it needed to claim another season in the Premier League and fans made sure the club knew that one day of success doesn’t make amends for two seasons of big struggles.
Here’s where our writers are living, as Joe Prince-Wright (JPW), Andy Edwards (AE), and Nicholas Mendola (NM) share their observations from across the most recent PL games.
10 things we learned in the Premier League – Week 38
1. Toffees shake off slow start, save Premier League status (Everton 1-0 AFC Bournemouth): Everton was set up with five at the back from the start and it was too negative. Sean Dyche got it right though. All they needed was one loose ball to drop to the right on-rushing central midfielder and it did in the second half as Abdoulaye Doucoure hammered home. It was a brilliant finish in what wasn’t a brilliant game (Dyche called it “hideous”). But Everton and Dyche don’t care. With loads of injuries they found a way to get it done and the history books show that Everton have still never been relegated from the Premier League and only Arsenal have a longer active top-flight streak as they will be playing at England’s top table next season, their 70th consecutive at the top level. Off the pitch there are financial issues to solve which could impact them next season but Dyche has done his job and if Everton are smart they should give him the tools to rip things up and rebuild the squad. Just staying up like this can’t happen again to Everton. They said that last season but look what happened. This time they have to make sure they are never in the relegation scrap again. A club of Everton’s size should never be in this situation. (JPW)
2. Too little, too late for Foxes as win not enough (Leicester 2-1 West Ham): “Too little, too late” may go down as the story of the Foxes season. Leicester did not get its recruitment plans correct — somewhat forced by Financial Fair Play — and then put too much faith in Brendan Rodgers to make things work. Dean Smith got some performances out of this men, few better than Sunday, but this ultimately feels like a fait accompli:Sometimes, the whole is less than the sum of its parts. Despite big seasons from Harvey Barnes and James Maddison, this was that. There’s also the question of playing for a draw against Newcastle on Monday, but let’s not heap criticism on Dean Smith for taking a calculated risk. He deserves better. (NM)
3. Leeds final game of relegation campaign too familiar (Leeds 1-3 Spurs): It was a nightmare start for Leeds, who needed not only a victory of their own but also points to be dropped by both Everton and Leicester above them. Tottenham’s first foray into Leeds’ penalty area ended with Kane hammering the ball past Joel Robles. The second frame was a new half but same story for Leeds, who conceded once again barely a minute into the second half. Kane turned provider this time, as he lofted a blind ball into the channel for the overlapping Pedro Porro, who barely had a sight of goal with Robles smothering the near post. But, Porro placed a pinpoint strike just inside the far post from a tight angle. Big Sam couldn’t fix the defense and maybe it was unfixable. Leeds didn’t keep a clean sheet after February 25. At least they gave their fans a goal in nearly every game during that run to relegation. (AE).
4. Ten Hag’s men finish strong to reset standards (Manchester United 2-1 Fulham): It’s difficult not to talk big picture after a Championship Sunday like this where the top four was sorted before the matchday began in England. Manchester United is in as good shape as it’s been in some time because it had success this season while building upward from its foundation. Yes, the club still has some older key pieces in Casemiro and Raphael Varane, but Erik ten Hag’s system looks ready for finer ingredients and the boss will now have a great idea of what pieces work and what pieces are for someone else’s project. This was a successful year for Manchester United, the type that will make sure that success at Manchester United is measured in a relatively new but still very familiar way: by bigger ambition. (NM)
5. Gunners show glimpse that hunger for more remains (Arsenal 5-0 Wolves): It would have been easy for Arsenal to mail this one in given their poor finish to the season which stopped them from winning the Premier League title. But the young Gunners dug in and impressed as they finished with a flourish and proved they are hungry to close the gap on Man City next season. They can do it and with smart recruitment in midfield and defense this summer, Arsenal can acquire the extra squad depth they need to have more staying power next season. This was more than a 5-0 win. It was about showing they are here to stay. And they are. (JPW)
6. Saints show talent to come straight back up (Southampton 4-4 Liverpool): It was a sad day for Saints but in James Ward-Prowse, Carlos Alcaraz, and Kamaldeen Sulemana they showed they have talented players who can lead their Championship playoff push next season. But will those star players still be around? Saints now need to cut the deadwood, start again with a new manager, and try their best to keep the six or so players they have in their current squad who will be starters in the Championship. Saints need to follow the way Fulham and Bournemouth rebounded as they hit the reset this summer. There are stars at Saints but they needed defensive solidity, a clear playing style and more experience if they’re going to get the best out of their undoubted talents. (JPW).
7. Blues get taught familiar lesson in draw (Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle): At home against a Newcastle team down its top goalkeeper and starting several second-choice players including youngsters Anthony Gordon and Elliot Anderson, Chelsea should’ve been able to finish this season with a win. But the team without finishers again failed to finish and left the stadium with a 1-1 draw and their bottom half status still baffling their talent level. Mauricio Pochettino, should he arrive as expected, needs to get a clinical finisher, although let’s be honest: Chelsea’s probably going to get significantly better just by getting a manager of Pochettino’s renown in the club over Frank Lampard’s entirely forgettable tenure as interim boss .Is it August yet? (NM)
8. Bees finish with win over much-changed champions’ (Brentford 1-0 Man City): It was a long wait for the game’s only goal, but the Brentford fans got to celebrate once more as they closed out a brilliant second season in the top flight. Bryan Mbeumo laid the ball back to Ethan Pinnock, who came streaking into the penalty area completely unmarked. Pinnock guided a low strike out of Ederson’s reach to secure victory no. 15 on the Bees’ season. City started Rico Lewis, Kalvin Phillips, Cole Palmer, and Sergio Gomez, and its only sub was 19-year-old newcomer Shea Charles. They still out-attempted the hosts 17-11 while keeping 66 percent of the ball. (AE)
9. Cooper, Hodgson finish unexpected jobs well done (Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest): Neither Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper nor Palace counterpart Roy Hodgson would’ve seen themselves in this exact position earlier this season. Yes, Cooper might’ve thought his team would take time to adjust to the Premier League but did he expect a final few safe weekends without real repercussions? Probably not, but he did very well to navigate what became a dragged-out process and Forest did well to stick with the man who got them to the PL. Hodgson was retired at the start of the season and it surprised many that Palace cut ties with Patrick Vieira only to bring Hodgson back. The club legend did well right away, though, and he’Il only be more beloved should he decide to retire (again). (NM)
10. Emery gets Villa back into Europe (Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton): Aston Villa finished Unai Emery’s first (partial) season in charge by qualifying for the Europa Conference League with a 2-1 victory over Brighton at Villa Park on Sunday. Brighton (62 points – 6th place) entered the final day of the 2022-23 season having already qualified for next season’s Europa League, which will be the Seagulls’ first time in European competition in club history, and Villa was keen to join them. (AE)
Alan Shearer is the king of Premier League goal scorers, but Harry Kane is racing to challenge his crown.
Shearer scored 260 Premier League goals during his remarkable career with Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United, and that figure’s even more impressive when you consider his first professional seasons were played prior to the Premier League era with Southampton.
Wayne Rooney’s incredible career, played almost entirely in the Premier League, saw him become the second player to bag 200+ goals in the competition. The former Manchester United and Everton star counts 208 goals as his haul.
Now ahead of Rooney? Harry Kane, whose 213 goals are 47 behind Shearer.
Kane, 29, scored 30 goals this Premier League season and would be running away with accolades were It not for some fella named Erling Haaland bagging goal after goal for Manchester City.
Will the Tottenham legend stay in England in a bid to chase down Shearer and, if he does, will he do it?
Read the full list of the Premier League’s all-time goal scorers, after the jump.
