Man Utd beat Liverpool to secure Champions League place

Manchester United secured Champions League football next season as Kobbie Mainoo’s strike earned a thrilling 3-2 victory over old rivals Liverpool on Sunday.

United were 2-0 up inside 15 minutes through Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, but imploded after the break to allow Arne Slot’s men to level with goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo before Mainoo secured the win.

A return to Europe’s elite competition after a two-year absence and another big game win furthers Michael Carrick’s case to continue as United boss next season.

Mainoo has embodied the upturn in United’s fortunes since Carrick took charge in January.

Overlooked by Ruben Amorim, the England midfielder earned a new five-year contract this week and celebrated in style with a cool finish from the edge of the box to edge a wild encounter.

Third-placed United open up a six-point lead over Liverpool and are guaranteed to finish in the top five.

Despite an 11th league defeat of the season, Liverpool likely need only three points from their three remaining games to also secure a place in the Champions League.

Slot’s side arrived at Old Trafford depleted without the forward trio of Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak through injury.

United sensed blood and were well worthy of their early two-goal lead.

Cunha was afforded two chances to find his range from the edge of the box to open the scoring.

The Brazilian’s strike flicked off Alexis MacAllister to give Liverpool’s third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman no chance.

The waves of United attack kept coming and Sesko appealed for a penalty after failing to beat Woodman from Bruno Fernandes’ precise pass.

Seconds later the Slovenian bundled the ball over the line from Fernandes’ header back across goal.

Fernandes was inches away from a third when he blasted Bryan Mbeumo’s cross wide.

But the warning signs of what was to come in the second half for United were also there before the break.

Gakpo curled wide on one of the many occasions Liverpool were able to pierce the heart of the Red Devils’ midfield.

Sesko was replaced by Amad Diallo at half-time and the Ivorian almost immediately gifted Liverpool a route back into the game.

Szoboszlai pounced on Amad’s loose pass and ran from inside his own half unopposed before slotting into the bottom corner.

United were architects of their own downfall again for the equaliser.

This time goalkeeper Senne Lammens’ pass was picked off by Mac Allister, who fed Szoboszlai and the Hungarian coolly teed up Gakpo for a tap in.

The unusually low stakes for a game between these clubs showed as both threw caution to the wind in search of a winner.

The home side got it when a poor clearance from MacAllister broke kindly for the charging Mainoo to steer into the bottom corner.

United’s first league double over Liverpool since the 2015-16 season completes a remarkable turnaround in the two sides’ fortunes from a year ago.

Liverpool finished 14 places and 42 points ahead of their rivals on their way to equalling United’s record of 20 English top-flight titles last season.

Carrick has also beaten Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea in his short reign and now delivered his primary goal with the riches of the Champions League to make his case hard to ignore.

Bournemouth eye European place after crushing Palace

Bournemouth moved into sixth place in the Premier League with a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace that bolstered their bid to qualify for Europe.

Andoni Iraola’s side took the lead through Jefferson Lerma’s own goal early in the first half at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.

Eli Junior Kroupi increased Bournemouth’s advantage with a penalty before the interval and Rayan wrapped up the point after the break.

The Cherries are one point above seventh-placed Brentford in the race to book a place in next season’s Europa League via a sixth-place finish.

There remains a chance that sixth could even bring Champions League qualification, if Aston Villa finish fifth and win this season’s Europa League.

Iraola is set to leave Bournemouth at the end of the season and the Spaniard is presiding over a remarkable farewell campaign at the south-coast club.

They are unbeaten in their last 15 games, including wins over Premier League leaders Arsenal and reigning champions Liverpool.

Bournemouth will also have a say in the title race, with second-placed Manchester City due to visit on May 19.

Palace were well below their best and will turn their focus to Thursday’s UEFA Conference League semi-final second leg against Shakhtar Donetsk at Selhurst Park.

Aiming to reach their first European final, Palace are 3-1 up from the first leg.

Bournemouth took the lead in the 10th minute when Evanilson’s header from a corner was diverted into the Palace net by Lerma’s miscued attempt to nod clear.

Dean Henderson tried to claw the ball off the line, but it crossed over before the Palace keeper reached it.

Marcus Taverner was denied by Henderson after surging clean through on goal, but Bournemouth’s early blitz paid dividends again in the 32nd minute.

Henderson dropped the ball after colliding with Palace’s Jaydee Canvot while trying to catch a long throw.

In the ensuing scramble, Henderson tripped Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi, conceding a penalty that Kroupi slotted home for his 12th league goal this season.

Jorgen Strand Larsen wasted a golden opportunity to drag Palace back into the game after half-time when he fired straight at Djordje Petrovic.

Petrovic also denied Brennan Johnson, but Bournemouth finished with a flourish in the 77th minute.

Maxence Lacroix surrendered possession carelessly and David Brooks pounced to tee up Rayan for a composed finish.

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