Premier League and FA Cup final: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

Why would your fan-favourite player, scorer of That Historic Wembley Goal, in peak form under an excellent manager want to leave? Why would anyone be OK with it? How is this logical? Crystal Palace are now good enough to have Eberechi Eze in the team. Eberechi Eze is also too good to stay at Crystal Palace. Both of these things seem to be true. Oliver Glasner-era Palace are a seriously potent, organised and attractive team. But Eze’s progress is something else. At times during his early Palace career there was a sense of a slightly loose late-developer. His skill level was always exceptional. His use of it now is next-level, his finishing cold and his physique buffed up. Eze does not really have a ceiling. He could play for any team in Europe. But he is also 26 years old with two years left on his contract, and Palace have a model based on development with the likes of Romain Esse ready for a shot. There does not always have to be downside. Selling the man who made the thing happen can still be best for everyone. Barney Ronay

FA Cup final report: Crystal Palace 1-0 Manchester City

After Manchester City ended the domestic season potless for the first time since 2016-17, a disgruntled Bernardo Silva stated he has discovered who the team “can go to war with”, while offering a firm opinion regarding what is required to ensure it competes again. “Something has to change next year,” he said after defeat at Wembley. “I have my opinion, I’m not going to give it to you. In the bad moments [though] you learn new things. Who you can go to war with, first of all. Because it’s in the bad moments that you see who the real ones are. And a lot of things that were good for us to not take things for granted: our fans, the club. I have my opinion, but definitely something needs to change when you don’t perform at the level.” Jamie Jackson

Pep Guardiola comforts a dejected Bernardo Silva after City end the season trophyless. Photograph: David Klein/Reuters

So Newcastle’s distant dream of finishing second was finally dashed. It is a testament to their incredible commitment and consistency in the past few months, while Arsenal faltered after falling away from a title challenge, that it was ever a possibility in the first place. Ultimately, the absence of Alexander Isak at the Emirates Stadium – where Declan Rice’s fizzing strike was the difference – proved costly for Eddie Howe’s men. Yet defeat in north London gives Newcastle a pressurised job to see through on the final day. Any dropped points at home to Everton next week will leave their fate in the hands of others, with one point now separating the teams placed third to seventh, though Manchester City could jump to third if they beat Bournemouth in midweek. At St James’ Park next Sunday, where the Magpies have won their past five successive games, confidence should remain high. Dominic Booth

Match report: Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle

The summer will see an overhaul at Everton as David Moyes and new owners, The Friedkin Group, seek to make their mark on the next chapter of the club. One of those departing is the 39-year-old Ashley Young, who has not had his contract renewed. He will be left to decide if he has another year left in the legs after 18 seasons of professional football, but put in a fine final performance at right-back. Young has not always been the most popular player at Everton but has always shown full commitment, playing in numerous positions, and his fitness belies his age. David Moyes offered him a final outing in front of the home fans against Southampton and he was offered a warm reception, something that has not been the norm, after replacing the club captain Seamus Coleman in the first half. Young was given a new deal by Sean Dyche a year ago, as he needed to pad out the squad and wanted as much experience as possible but his exit is symbolic that the club are finally plotting a different path. Will Unwin

Match report: Everton 2-0 Southampton

Morgan Gibbs-White was disappointed not to make the cut when Thomas Tuchel named his first England squad two months ago. Subsequent withdrawals then saw Gibbs-White drafted in but it seems that he still has much to prove. Tuchel did not use Gibbs-White in either of England’s World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia, so there can be no guarantees that he will call the 25-year-old up this week. After all, the German is not exactly short of options in attacking midfield. Gibbs-White, though, is doing everything in his power to catch Tuchel’s eye. He played well in Nottingham Forest’s win over West Ham and his alertness earned him his seventh goal of an impressive campaign. Gibbs-White punished a slack pass from West Ham’s goalkeeper, Alphonse Areola, and set Forest on their way to a victory that maintains their push for Champions League qualification. Will it be enough to convince Tuchel to give him another go? Jacob Steinberg

Match report: West Ham 1-2 Nottingham Forest

Morgan Gibbs-White scored his seventh Premier League goal of the season and is pushing for a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s England team. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/Reuters

Kasey McAteer scored his first-ever Premier League goal for Leicester. The academy graduate, who joined the club at eight years old, has had to wait his time for consistent minutes under Ruud Van Nistelrooy. The 23-year-old scored a crucial goal to ensure back-to-back home wins for Leicester in Jamie Vardy’s final farewell. His ruthless goal, a smart finish which beat Alex Palmer for pace glanced the post on its way in, after a flowing move between Wilfred Ndidi and Bilal El Khannouss. In a season infiltrated with negativity, the brilliance of the local boy will give Leicester fans some much needed optimism ahead of the Championship to follow. Peter Lansley

Match report: Leicester 2-0 Ipswich

Tom Cairney has often felt like a throwback of sorts. The kind of streets-won’t-forget Barclaysman era player that would have been beloved in the late noughties. Perhaps history will look back fondly on the Fulham stalwart, who is out of contract and set to conclude a distinguished decade at the club this week. If his emphatic header against Brentford – part of a stirring comeback from Marco Silva’s side in a topsy-turvy west London derby – proves to be a parting shot from Fulham, it will have been a fitting finale. Cairney ended the day on the shoulders of teammates saluting the travelling Cottagers’ faithful. For them, there have never been any doubts about Cairney’s talent. Even if, as rumoured, Cairney completes a lucrative move to the Championship new boys Wrexham in the summer, the 34-year-old’s place as a Craven Cottage cult hero seems secure. DB

Match report: Brentford 2-3 Fulham

It was only thanks to a moment of brilliance between their two full-backs that Chelsea edged past Manchester United to keep their Champions League aspirations in their own hands. But an attacking dilemma awaits for the final-day showdown with Nottingham Forest. Without the suspended Nicolas Jackson, 19-year-old Tyrique George was asked to lead the line against United on his first Premier League start. More comfortable on the wing, and up against a seasoned defence, it was a seriously tough task for the teenager, who was peripheral – aside from winning a penalty decision that was overturned on review. George managed only 14 touches all game, including a solitary one in the United box. “Very good, very good, brave,” said Enzo Maresca when asked about George’s performance. “He was a threat in behind. It was not easy for him.” Of whether George had done enough to start again at Forest, Maresca insisted: “Absolutely, yes. One hundred percent.” Whether that is simply shrewd man-management remains to be seen, but options are in short supply. Will Maresca give the experiment another outing or try Pedro Neto or Cole Palmer as a false nine? The decision could have huge consequences. Ben Bloom

Match report: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United

If there were any positives for Spurs to take from defeat Aston Villa, it was the return to the starting lineup of their fit-again captain Son Heung-min. Son, who played 74 minutes before being replaced by Dominic Solanke, made a couple of menacing runs down the left flank and how Tottenham would benefit from a similar performance from the South Korean in the Europa League final at San Mames on Wednesday. Spurs are short on experience with injuries to Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison but they have a leader in Son. “He opened up a couple of times and I think Sonny is getting back into a rhythm,” said the Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou. “There were moments where he showed that.” Spurs need the same again in Spain. Ben Fisher

Match report: Aston Villa 2-0 Tottenham

Can Son Heung-min captain Spurs to their first trophy since 2008? Photograph: Manjit Narotra/ProSports/Shutterstock

As Alan Shearer excitedly proclaimed after Crystal Palace’s FA Cup victory on Saturday: “2025 is the year of the underdog”. Certainly, the Eagles breaking their trophy duck amid jubilant scenes at Wembley and the rise of Nottingham Forest towards the Champions League spots show there is joy to be eked out by the Premier League’s middle classes. See also: the free-flowing football Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth have showcased this season. Yet Forest could end up in seventh if results go against them next weekend, the three promoted teams all went straight back down, while Manchester City’s so-called annus horribilis will probably see the serial title winners finish way down in … third. At the summit, Liverpool hardly represent against-all-odds champions with their worldwide fanbase and rich history, and the minor European pots are set to be scooped by big-budget Premier League behemoths. Chelsea have romped to the Conference League final with an expensively assembled B-team while Manchester United and Tottenham have seen off low budget hipster favourites like Bodø/Glimt and Athletic Club to contest the Europa League final. Everyone loves an underdog, but Palace could end up being the exception that proves the rule. DB