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The 2 Robbies: Man City pass the Burnley test to go top

By Andy EdwardsApr 28, 2019, 7:03 PM EDT
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Robbie Mustoe and Robbie Earle discuss another interesting weekend in the Premier League that saw Liverpool and Man City continue their incredible fight for the title.

Liverpool put five past Huddersfield (01:40) and Man City passed the Burnley test to go top (09:45). Is this the slowest race for the top-four in PL history (18:40)? Both Tottenham and Arsenal lose while Man United and Chelsea had to settle for a point each (31:25).

Then, they look ahead to next season and talk about the new teams we can expect to see in the PL. Both Norwich City and Sheffield United have confirmed their place in the top flight (53:49). Finally, they take a dive into the bizarre goings on at Elland Road. Did Marcelo Bielsa make the right call by giving Aston Villa a goal (56:45)?

If you’re left wanting more after all that check out our break down on the recent Arsenal defensive struggles (WATCH HERE). The latest episode of the Premier League Tactics Session explores how Leicester City capitalized on Arsenal’s poor defending.

To listen to more lively conversations and passionate debate from Robbie Earle and Robbie Mustoe, subscribe to The 2 Robbies Podcast on Apple Podcasts or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

[ Click here for The 2 Robbies archive ]

Follow them on Twitter @The2Robbies

Norwich City promoted to Premier League

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By Nicholas MendolaApr 27, 2019, 4:28 PM EDT
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Norwich City finally cemented their place in the Premier League with a 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers at Carrow Road on Saturday.

This is the Canaries’ third promotion since 2014, and next season will be the club’s first in the top flight since finishing 19th in 2015-16.

Marco Stiepermann and Mario Vrancic staked Norwich to a 2-0 lead and the Canaries controlled chances and the ball despite allowing a concession to Lewis Travis two minutes after their second goal. The Vrancic goal was especially emphatic, a howitzer from a good distance out.

Sheffield United also looks set for the Premier League after beating Ipswich Town 2-0 in their penultimate match of the season. The Blades have a six-point lead on third place Leeds United, who has two matches left and would concede second with anything other than a win over Aston Villa on Sunday morning.

The Playoff Race

Only one spot hasn’t been sewn up in the promotion playoffs. Leeds United has a miniscule chance at automatic promotion, but should finish third. West Bromwich Albion has seized a spot as has Villa.

The last spot will belong to either Derby County, the current sixth place side, Middlesbrough, or Bristol City.

Derby and Boro each have 70 points, which Derby having two matches left to Boro’s one and a six-goal advantage in differential. Bristol has 66 points and has to win both of its matches and get help.

Championship Focus: Leeds falters, Sheffield United takes advantage

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By Nicholas MendolaApr 22, 2019, 2:19 PM EDT
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The race for Premier League promotion took a few more turns on Monday, as Norwich City missed a chance to assure itself a place in the top flight.

Still, its next point gained or point lost by Leeds or Sheffield United will do the trick.

[ MORE: MLS Power Rankings ]

Speaking of Sheffield United, the Blades took advantage of Norwich’s stumble and have a shot at Championship title, while Leeds fell at Brentford to fall behind in the race for automatic promotion.

Frank Lampard had a good day with his Derby County, thanks to a win and losses by two playoff contenders. And Aston Villa is buzzing.

Stoke City 2-2 Norwich City

The Canaries blew two leads and now lead the Blades by three points with two matches to play. Teemu Pukki scored his 28th league goal of the season in the draw, which puts them six points clear of third with a 10-point goal differential advantage on Leeds. Thumbs up.

Hull City 0-3 Sheffield United

David McGoldrick scored two of the Blades’ three first-half goals in a tremendous win at the KC Stadium that pulled United three points ahead of Leeds, three back of Norwich City.

Brentford 2-0 Leeds United

Neil Maupay and Sergi Canos scored on either side of halftime as Brentford continued to push Leeds United away from the Top Two. Marcelo Bielsa’s men are now 9W-1D-7L since his staff was caught spying on Derby County training and beat the Rams 2-0, compared with 16W-6D-5L in the run-up to the kerfuffle.

Leeds next hosts red-hot Villa before finishing away to relegated Ipswich Town. Sheffield United hosts Ipswich Town and goes to Stoke, while Norwich City hosts Blackburn and goes to Villa.

Derby County 2-0 Queens Park Rangers

Liverpool loanee Harry Wilson scored two goals in 11 minutes of stoppage time to send Lampard’s men into sixth thanks to losses from Middlesbrough and Bristol City.

“It’s cup football almost now,” Lampard said. “What’s on these games is so much. And we’ve got to get up for it, and we will be. No doubt about that.”

Aston Villa 1-0 Millwall

Dean Smith’s men broke a 109-year-old record with a 10th successive win, as Jonathan Kodjia scored the lone goal at Villa Park. Villa is now fifth on the table and will head to the playoffs.

Elsewhere
Blackburn 2-0 Bolton
Ipswich Town 0-1 Swansea City
Reading 0-0 West Bromwich Albion
Rothertham 1-3 Birmingham City
Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Bristol City
Wigan Athletic 2-0 Preston North End
Nottingham Forest 3-0 Middlesbrough

97th minute equalizer puts Norwich City on precipice of Championship title

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By Kyle BonnApr 19, 2019, 6:22 PM EDT
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Norwich City is on the verge of securing the Championship title and automatic promotion to the Premier League after bagging a 97th minute equalizer to draw 2-2 with Sheffield Wednesday.

Mario Vrancic deposited a free-kick into the top-right corner deep into second-half injury time to secure the draw and move Norwich City five points clear at the top with three matches to go. While the slip is another opportunity for second-placed Sheffield United to gain ground, it also keeps Norwich City just out of reach with the season winding down.

The result is redemption for just two games ago when Norwich City themselves were pegged back in the 97th minute to finish 2-2 with Reading. That late equalizer came after Norwich had turned around a 1-0 deficit with goals in the 86th and 88th minutes. In fact, Norwich has had a propensity for late goals all season, including an 81st minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Wigan last time out, an 83rd minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw with West Brom in January, another in the 1-1 draw against Brentford, an 86th minute winner against Blackburn in December, and a 93rd minute winner against Bolton.

Marco Stiepermann had put the hosts in front after just 19 minutes on Friday, but Norwich proceeded to cough up the lead and even fell behind as Steven Fletcher scored for Sheffield Wednesday by sliding at the far post to reach a delivery less than 10 minutes after the halftime break.

Norwich will be thankful that the season is coming to an end and the window of opportunity for challengers to creep nearer is closing. The Canaries have led the way since late February, but have drawn three straight matches, including two to lower-half sides in Reading and Wigan. The finish is moderate, with matches remaining against lower-half sides Blackburn and Stoke City, plus a road visit to playoff hopefuls Aston Villa to close things out.

Championship wrap: Promotion race intensifies

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By Joe Prince-WrightApr 19, 2019, 12:06 PM EDT
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As always, things got weird and wild in England’s second-tier on Friday.

Leeds United lost at home to 10-man relegation battlers Wigan Athletic 2-1, despite taking the lead early and Wigan playing a man down for over 75 minutes.

Pablo Hernandez missed an early penalty kick for Marcelo Bielsa’s side who have now dropped out of the automatic promotion spots with three games of the season to go and no longer have their destiny in their own hands. This defeat marked the first time this season that Leeds have lost a game after taking the lead.

As for their main rivals for automatic promotion, Sheffield United rallied in the second half to beat Nottingham Forest on Friday and moved into second behind Norwich City as Blades boss Chris Wilder has done a magnificent job for the club he supports.

Norwich look certainties for promotion and their return to the PL after a three-year absence could be confirmed on Monday, while Sheffield United know they will be back in the Premier League for the first time since 2007 if they win their final three games of the season.

In the playoff race, West Brom, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough all won to sit in fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, while Bristol City and Derby are hanging around just outside the playoff spots with draws to set up a frantic final few weeks. There are some huge teams pushing to be in the playoffs and have a chance of playing in the richest game in soccer at Wembley on May 27, and Villa are the form team right now with nine-straight wins.

At the other end of the table, Bolton’s defeat at home to Villa means they were relegated to the third-tier and they will join Ipswich Town in League One for next season, while Rotherham and Millwall battle to stay out of the final relegation spot.

Below is a look at the standings and points in the promotion race, as the battle to get into the Premier League for the 2019-20 rages on.

As things stand – Championship table, promotion race

Automatic promotion
1st: Norwich City – Played 42, points 86
2nd: Sheffield United – Played 43, points 82

Playoff picture
3rd: Leeds United – Played 43, points 82
4th: West Brom – Played 43, points 76
5th: Aston Villa – Played 43, points 72
6th: Middlesbrough – Played 43, points 67

Pushing for playoffs
7th: Bristol City – Played 42, points 66
8th: Derby County – Played 42, points 64