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2021.04.19 10:09 GMT+8

European roundup: Man United close gap on Man City, Juventus stunned by Atalanta

Updated 2021.04.19 10:09 GMT+8
CGTN

Manchester United Paul Pogba (C) reacts after being fouled during their Premier League clash with Burnley at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, April 18, 2021. /CFP

Manchester United moved within eight points of Premier League leaders Manchester City as Mason Greenwood's double inspired a 3-1 win over Burnley, while Eddie Nketiah's last-gasp goal gave Arsenal a 1-1 draw against struggling Fulham on Sunday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are unlikely to catch City, but Greenwood's late winner puts a little pressure on their bitter rivals with six games left.

Greenwood had opened the scoring early in the second half at Old Trafford before James Tarkowski equalized moments later.

Greenwood's second made him the joint-top scoring teenager in Premier League history for United, level with Wayne Rooney on 15 goals.

Edinson Cavani grabbed the third goal in stoppage-time as second placed United won six consecutive Premier League games for the first time since January 2019.

Although they have probably left it too late to overhaul City, United are on course for a second place finish and could still win the first silverware of Solskjaer's reign.

They face Roma in the Europa League semi-finals after easing past Granada in the quarter-final second leg on Thursday.

Elsewhere, Arsenal were seconds away from a first ever home defeat against Fulham as they labored to find a response to Josh Maja's second half penalty. But Nketiah's leveler pushed Fulham closer to relegation deep into stoppage-time.

Leicester City's Kelechi Iheanacho kneels down to celebrate his winner during their FA Cup clash with Southampton at Wembley Stadium in London, England, April 18, 2021. /CFP

Meanwhile, Leicester reached the FA Cup final for the first time in 52 years as Kelechi Iheanacho's solitary goal earned a 1-0 win over Southampton in front of 4,000 fans at Wembley.

The biggest crowd for a football match in England for 13 months was made up of key workers and local residents as part of a test event for the return of fans in bigger numbers in the coming weeks.

An 8,000 crowd will be in attendance at Wembley next Sunday for the League Cup final between Manchester City and Tottenham, while 21,000 will welcome Leicester back to the home of English football for the FA Cup final against Chelsea on May 15.

In Italy, Christian Eriksen claimed a point for Serie A leaders Inter Milan whose 11-match winning streak ended with a 1-1 draw at Napoli on Sunday.

Antonio Conte's side still have a comfortable margin at the top of the table as they target a first title since 2010 with a nine-point advantage over second-placed AC Milan.

Milan earlier got back to winning ways in the San Siro beating Genoa 2-1.

But Napoli missed the chance to move into the Champions League berths at the expense of Juve who fell 1-0 at Atalanta, who rose to third, earlier Sunday. 

Gennaro Gattuso's Napoli are two points off the reigning Italian champions, before the southerners host sixth-placed Lazio next Thursday.

Mauro Icardi heads home a winner during their Ligue 1 clash with Saint-Etienne at Le Parc des Princes, Paris, France, April 18, 2021. /CFP

In France, Mauro Icardi dragged Paris Saint-Germain to within one point of Ligue 1 leaders Lille with the last-gasp winner in a dramatic 3-2 victory over Saint-Etienne, as Monaco also boosted their title hopes.

The champions closed the gap on Lille, who could only draw 1-1 with Montpellier on Friday, thanks to Icardi's 95th-minute header which claimed a win that had looked to have slipped away.

Monaco are only one point further back in third after cruising past Bordeaux 3-0.

At the Parc des Princes, Kylian Mbappe struck twice in quick succession to put PSG ahead after Denis Bouanga had given the away side a shock 78th-minute lead by guiding home Miguel Trauco's cross. 

Romain Hamouma thought he had grabbed an improbable point for Saint-Etienne in the second minute of added time when Bouanga's saved shot fell at his feet in front of a gaping goal, giving him an easy tap-in.

But Icardi capped a thrilling last quarter when he met fellow substitute Angel Di Maria's whipped cross with a perfect header three minutes later to spark wild celebrations among the PSG players.

Source(s): AFP
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