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In a 2-2 draw at Everton on Saturday, Bruno Fernandes led Manchester United to a rally from two goals down to prevent Ruben Amorim with yet another damaging defeat.

With goals from Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure within 33 minutes, United were on the verge of a ninth defeat in their previous 13 league games.

Before Manuel Ugarte’s equalizer saved a point for United, the visitors were unable to find a shot on target until Fernandes’ free-kick curled home after 18 minutes.

After Everton were awarded a penalty well into stoppage time, only for referee Andy Madley to overturn his decision following a VAR review.

Everton moves up to 12th place, while United stays at 15th.

When David Moyes made his second start in charge last month, Everton were in a survival battle, but they have taken 14 of their possible 18 points to ensure that their 71-year reign in the top flight won’t come to an end.

Amorim acknowledged before the game that Moyes, who was fired from Sporting Lisbon in 2014 after only a short time in charge of the club, was doing a better job than he had before.

When the sides last met in Amorim’s first home league game, United cruised to a 4-0 win at Old Trafford, but he has managed just three victories in 13 Premier League games since.

Before moving to a new 53, 000-capacity stadium next season, Everton have just five more games left to play at Goodison Park.

The home team and fans are determined to make the most of what has been left since 1892, putting pressure on a United side that was lacking in confidence right off the bat.

Shambolic defense

However, comedic United defending gave Everton the lead in the 19th minute.

Before the ball eventually broke, the Red Devils had several chances to shoot over Andre Onana and into the ground.

Since Moyes’ return, the striker has transformed, scoring five goals in his last four Premier League starts after scoring just four goals in his first 44 starts for the club.

Beto also played a significant role in the second half, opening up the United defense before feeding Jack Harrison with a low cross.

Harrison’s shot into the air was too sharp for Onana, who only managed to parry it before Doucoure outmuscled Harry Maguire to head in the loose ball.

Everton’s early lead was denied by Doucoure’s fine save as they attempted to increase it.

But, not for the first time, Fernandes was United’s one source of inspiration.

The Portugal international’s free-kick wrong-footed Jordan Pickford to kickstart the fightback.

The equalizer came on Beto’s headed clearance, and this was his first goal for the club thanks to another Fernandes free kick.

In a thrilling finale, both teams had chances to win.

Pickford tipped over Fernandes’ dipping effort from the edge of the box, while Beto placed a header too close for Onana.

However, United were fortunate to escape when Ashley Young appeared to have been pulled down by a group of Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt in more time.

After missing his team’s Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said Erling Haaland is still doubtful for Sunday’s Premier League game against Liverpool.

The Norwegian was chosen for the Santiago Bernabeu but did not play as City, who were defeated 3-1 on Wednesday to fall to 6-3 on aggregate, were outclassed.

“Tomorrow we will know”, said Guardiola at his pre-match press conference on Friday.

Guardiola does now have a backup option should Haaland not make a full recovery before the league leaders, thanks to the signing of Omar Marmoush in January.

“It’s better to have Erling on the pitch than not”, he added. “Of course with Erling we are stronger”.

The battle for supremacy between Guardiola’s City and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool marked an era in the Premier League.

However, in his first season in charge, Arne Slot succedes to Klopp to ensure that the Reds are on course to win the title.

“For me it’s an exceptional team. I have said many times, they have been the biggest rival in my tenure here”, said Guardiola.

“Arsenal has been involved in this capacity for a while, but I couldn’t have imagined that Liverpool would be in a position like that.”

Arsenal have a game in hand and are the favorites to close the gap at five with a game against West Ham on Saturday, while Liverpool are eight points clear of them.

City’s reign as champions of the title is almost over, with Liverpool currently 17 points adrift in fourth place.

Injuries have played a major role in City’s decline.

Rodri and Manuel Akanji may not play again this season, while John Stones is expected to spend another few months on the sidelines after limping off against Madrid early in the season.

Guardiola cited a stringent schedule as the culprit, and cited Tottenham, Real Madrid, Arsenal, and other teams that have been dealing with a number of severe muscle injuries this year.

Due to their participation in the Club World Cup, City’s season could get longer, with only one more Premier League season beginning one month later.

Guardiola expressed concern about a repeat situation in the upcoming season that might undermine City’s ability to bounce back and compete for major titles.

“Of course, I’m concerned. So, next season, everybody will be fit? I don’t know what’s going to happen”, he added.

“We already have a lot of players who can’t sustain what we have in the past,” he said. Week in, week out, playing a dozen different competitions, travels. Without the problems.

” More than 50 games, it’s too much for the players. The human body cannot support it without a medical issue because it is too much.

Manchester United were drawn Friday to play Real Sociedad of Spain in the last 16 of this season’s Europa League, while Rangers will take on Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce, and Tottenham Hotspur face AZ Alkmaar.

Ruben Amorim’s United struggled this season in the Premier League, but they finished third in the Europa League’s league phase.

The first leg of their tour will take place in San Sebastian on March 6, before returning to the same venue a week later when they play a Real Sociedad side that won the play-off round against Midtjylland of Denmark.

In recent years, the two organizations have met several times in European competition, with United winning a play-off tie in 2021 before both teams each won away from home in the group stages of 2022/23. In 2013, they also faced off in the Champions League group stage.

Whoever prevails will face FCSB or Lyon in a last-eight tie. In their final game of the group, United defeated the Romanians 2-0 at home last month.

In a match that Mourinho and Manchester United won in 2017, Fenerbahce will welcome Rangers, who have already lost to 2022, to Istanbul for the first leg of their tie. He also won its predecessor, the UEFA Cup, as Porto boss in 2003.

Mourinho could face one of his former clubs in Roma, where he won the Europa Conference League in 2022, in the quarter-finals.

However, Claudio Ranieri’s Roma face a tough task in the last 16 against Athletic Bilbao, who are determined to go all the way to this season’s final, which will be played at their San Mames home on May 21.

Spurs will travel to the Netherlands to face AZ, who they defeated 1-0 in the league match in October, in the first leg of their last-16 game.

If they win, Ange Postecoglou’s team could be back in the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, with the victors in that tie playing either Ajax or 2022 tournament winners Eintracht Frankfurt.

Spurs and Manchester United will not play in the final four, but the Old Trafford outfit could face Rangers or Fenerbahce under Mourinho’s control in the final.

Prior to a trip to Manchester City on Sunday, Arsenal has a chance to tie Arsenal with the league leaders, but Liverpool’s pursuit of the title has slowed.

If West Ham is defeated at the Emirates, the Gunners can move to within five points of the Reds.

Behind the top two, the race is on for a place in next season’s Champions League.

Nottingham Forest’s rivals will square off at St James’ Park with just six points before they square off against Newcastle in seventh place.

The weekend’s pick of Premier League action looks to be in AFP Sports’ favor:

Liverpool’s title test

Arne Slot’s men appeared to be cruising towards a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.

However, two 2-2 draws at Everton and Aston Villa in the past 10 days have brought the title race alive again.

Real Madrid, the dominant force in English football for the past ten years, defeated Manchester City in midweek to fall short of them, leaving them out of the Champions League before the final 16 stages for the first time since 2012/13.

Erling Haaland, who was injured but did not play on the bench at the Santiago Bernabeu, may also be out.

However, Pep Guardiola’s men showed what they are still capable of in last week’s 4-0 thrashing of Newcastle, and they are in need of points themselves in the top four.

“They’ve had maybe one or two months in the seven or eight years he’s (Guardiola) there now that weren’t the best, maybe partly because of injuries as well”, said Slot.

“Injuries come back, they’ve signed three or four players, I can see them coming back already if you look at the result against Newcastle”.

When Arsenal take on West Ham in 24 hours, they have a chance to put more pressure on.

Although Mikel Arteta’s side will not have a recognized striker for the rest of the season, they have already won 23 of the possible 27 points to stay in the race.

“If we look at other teams’ efforts or Arsenal constantly,” Slot added.

We already know how challenging it is to play at the Etihad, so Arsenal shouldn’t be even more involved in that.

Chelsea crisis

Chelsea must respond quickly if they want to keep playing in the Champions League for the foreseeable future.

At the end of 2024, the Blues vowed to challenge for the title, but they lost just twice in their last nine league games and were eliminated from the FA Cup.

Enzo Maresca, manager, expressed concern that Cole Palmer could leave without the lure of the Champions League after his side’s mediocre 3-0 defeat by Brighton last weekend as his team’s worst performance to date.

Chelsea travels to Aston Villa on Saturday, with their own hopes starting to wane.

Unai Emery’s men defeated Liverpool 4-0 in a four-goal thriller on Wednesday, but they now sit ninth, five points off the top four, as a result of a lackluster season.

Nottingham Forest’s acid test

With only 13 games left, Nottingham Forest fans couldn’t have imagined sitting third in the table.

However, for the first time in 45 years, they will be put to the test of their credentials to return to elite competition in European football.

Before hosting Arsenal and Manchester City in their next two home league games, Forest travel to Newcastle on Sunday.

Eddie Howe, the manager of Newcastle, was unhappy with his side’s see-saw form after their League Cup semi-final heroics against Arsenal.

When we’re on it, “I believe we have days where we can look a long way from the team that we are,” said Howe. “It’s a real frustration for us because to be an elite team, you’ve got to be consistent”.

EPL Fixtures (all times 1500 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Leicester v Brentford (2000)

Saturday

Everton v Manchester United (1230), Fulham v Crystal Palace, Ipswich v Tottenham, Southampton v Brighton, Bournemouth v Wolves, Arsenal v West Ham, Aston Villa v Chelsea (1730)

Sunday

Newcastle v Nottingham Forest (1400), Man City v Liverpool (1630)

Former football chief Luis Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault on Thursday in Spain after receiving a forced kiss from star forward Jenni Hermoso. He was also fined, but acquitted of the coercion charge.

For allegedly forcing the player to downplay the incident afterward, the prosecution had requested a two-and-a-half year sentence for Rubiales, who had been sentenced to one year in prison for sexual assault and 18 months for coercion.

Judge Jose Manuel Fernandez-Prieto at Spain’s High Court found Rubiales guilty of sexual assault over the kiss and fined him 10, 800 euros ($11, 300), but spared him a prison sentence.

Additionally, Rubiales was prohibited from communicating with Hermoso for a year and from traveling within a 200-meter radius of her.

READ ALSO: &nbsp, Rubiales Says He Is ‘ Totally Sure ‘ Hermoso Consented To Kiss

Kissing a woman on the mouth “is not the normal way of greeting people with whom one has no sentimental relationship”, the judge wrote in his ruling, saying Rubiales had violated Hermoso’s “sexual freedom” without her consent.

Lawyer Olga Tubau Martinez for Rubiales, Olga Tubau Martinez, reported to AFP that Rubiales’ client “has decided to appeal the decision.”

At the 2023 Women’s World Cup medal ceremony in Sydney, former Spanish federation chief Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips before letting her go with two slaps on the back during the scandal that rocked Spanish football.

Rubiales was forced to resign in disgrace as a result of the outcry, which also raised awareness of the prevalence of sexism and macho culture in sport.

Hermoso, 34, said on the opening day of the trial on February 3 she felt “disrespected” after a non-consensual kiss that “should not happen in any social or work setting”.

Her teammates gave oaths to her about how she had been “overwhelmed” after the incident, and Rafael Hermoso, her brother, claimed she was under pressure to minimize the incident to protect the federation chief.

But Rubiales, 47, told the court he was “totally sure” Hermoso consented to the kiss as she went up to receive her winner’s medal, which was broadcast live around the world, and denied putting pressure on her after the incident.

She held my hand up against my underarms, lifted me, and when I came down, I asked if I could kiss you, and she responded, “OK.” That’s what happened”, he said, describing it as “an act of affection”.

Rubiales conceded he “made a mistake” in the incident on the podium, saying he should have “been in a more institutional role”, but denied he had committed any offence.

&nbsp, ‘Entitled to celebrate ‘

Hermoso and her teammates were seen shortly after the incident in video, according to Rubiales’ defense team, adding that this evidence supported the player’s claim that the kiss did not cause any upheaval.

However, prosecutor Marta Durantez Gil refuted this line of reasoning in her closing arguments, in which she added that there was “no doubt” that the kiss was “non-consensual”.

How long will it take us to continue demanding heroic deeds from sexual assault victims? Wasn’t she entitled to celebrate such a sporting triumph”? she asked.

The court acquitted the three other accused in the case, ex-women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda and two former federation officials, of the charge of coercion.

&nbsp, ‘Fake feminism ‘

Equality Minister Ana Redondo welcomed the verdict, saying it demonstrated that “when there is no consent, there is aggression”.

Rubiales’ position on the matter was in contrast to Rubiales’ defiance when the scandal first surfaced.

He downplayed the significance of the kiss and refrained from resigning during an “false feminism” at an upcoming federation meeting in August 2023.

FIFA suspended him and Spanish prosecutors opened an investigation into alleged sexual assault, Rubiales resigned in September that year. Since 2018, he has served as the head of the federation.

Hermoso, who currently plays for Mexican club Tigres and is the all-time top scorer for the Spain national women’s team, was not immediately recalled after the World Cup.

Montse Tome, the new coach, stated that she was sorry if she didn’t exclude her from the squad because she wanted to protect the player.