Manchester United secured a return to the Champions League with a 4-1 win over Chelsea on Thursday.
Goals from Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford ensured a victory that means a Premier League top-four finish is now certain in Erik ten Hag’s first year at the club.
United moved up to third and two points above Newcastle going into the final game of the season.
United needed a point from its final two games to secure qualification to the Champions League and went ahead in the sixth minute when Casemiro headed in Christian Eriksen’s free kick.
Mykhaylo Mudryk should have put Chelsea ahead before that, but the US$108-million signing completely misfired with only goalkeeper David de Gea to beat.
Martial doubled United’s lead in first-half stoppage time to put the home team in control going into the break.
Fernandes added a third from the penalty spot in the 73rd after being brought down by Wesley Fofana.
It got worse for Fofana and Chelsea when the defender’s misplaced pass was seized on and substitute Rashford added a fourth five minutes later.
Another substitute Alejandro Garnacho hit the bar late on as United went in search of another.
Chelsea substitute Joao Felix scored a consolation in the 89th, but it was another miserable night for the Londoners, who have now lost eight of their 10 games under interim manager Frank Lampard.
One concern for United was a first-half injury to Antony, who looked in distress as he left the field on a stretcher.
The Associated Press
Canada’s opener at CONCACAF U-20 tournament rescheduled
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Canada’s weather-delayed opener against Jamaica at the CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship has been rescheduled for Friday. The two teams had been slated to meet Wednesday at Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez but the game, along with the U.S.-Panama matchup in the nightcap of the Group A doubleheader, was called off owing to bad weather. Canada and seven other countries are fighting for CONCACAF’s three berths at next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. Canada will now face Panama on Sunday and the defending champion U.S. on Tuesday with the robin-robin portion of the schedule pushed back by two days. The schedule for all matches in Group B, semi-finals, third-place match and final remain unchanged, according to CONCACAF. The top two from each group advance to the knockout stage with the two finalists and the third-place match winner qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Canada has qualified for eight of the 10 previous FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups, finishing runner-up to the U.S. in 2002 when Canada was host of the event.
The Canadian Press
TFC’s injury list shorter for game against D.C. United
Toronto FC’s injury list is a little shorter this week but the slumping MLS club still has holes to fill for Saturday’s game against visiting D.C. United. Listed as out on TFC’s injury list Thursday were defenders Sigurd Rosted and Shane O’Neill, midfielders Michael Bradley, Jonathan Osorio, Alonso Coello and Victor Vazquez and forward Adama Diomande. Forward Deandre Kerr was listed as questionable, going through concussion protocols. Toronto was without 10 players for last Saturday’s 1-0 loss in Austin, Tex. Italian star Lorenzo Insigne missed the game with a foot issue but was back in training this week and is off the injury list. Midfielder/forward Jahkeele Marshall Rutty is also available after serving a two-game suspension. Toronto (2-5-7) has won just once in its past 11 games (1-5-5) in all competitions. D.C. United (5-5-4) won 3-2 when the teams met Feb. 25 in their season opener, rallying with goals in the 90th and 98th minute.
The Canadian Press