BOURNEMOUTH, England (AP) — Manchester United is in touching distance of a return to the Champions League after beating Bournemouth 1-0 on Saturday to strengthen its place in the top four of the Premier League.
The win — sealed by Casemiro’s close-range overhead kick in the ninth minute — moved United three points clear of fifth-place Liverpool, which drew 1-1 with Aston Villa and only has one game left to play.
United only requires a point from its final two games, at home to Chelsea and Fulham, to get back into the Champions League after a one-season absence. That would be yet another positive for United in a strong first season under Dutch coach Erik ten Hag, who has already guided the team to the English League Cup trophy as well as a spot in the FA Cup final against Manchester City on June 3.
Being in the Champions League should see United attract bigger names in the offseason transfer window, while adding more value to a club that is up for sale and the subject of offers from Qatar and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe.
It was maybe fitting that a goal by Casemiro moved United so close to that top-four place, with the Brazil midfielder playing an influential role since joining from Real Madrid last year and running the game at Vitality Stadium.
His goal came from a rare foray forward. Christian Eriksen clipped a pass over the defense and into the penalty area toward Casemiro, who reacted to the ball taking a slight deflection off a Bournemouth player by adjusting his body and acrobatically volleying in off the post with his back to goal.
United was without Marcus Rashford because of an illness and that impacted the visitors' attacking threat against a Bournemouth team already safe from relegation and with little to play for.
United needed a save with his legs by David De Gea from substitute Kieffer Moore to preserve the clean sheet and win.
Liverpool 1, Aston Villa 1
In Liverpool, Roberto Firmino kept alive Liverpool’s Champions League qualification dreams with a goal as a substitute in his last game for the club at Anfield.
The Brazilian striker poked in a finish in the 89th minute to earn Liverpool a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.
A loss, coupled with fourth-place Manchester United’s 1-0 victory at Bournemouth on Saturday, would have guaranteed Liverpool could not have finished in the top four.
Instead, Liverpool is not quite out of it, with Jurgen Klopp’s team three points behind third-place Newcastle and Man United, which each have two games left to play. Liverpool only has one game remaining, at already-relegated Southampton next weekend.
Ollie Watkins missed a penalty for Villa in the 22nd but Jacob Ramsey put the visitors ahead five minutes later by sidefooting home at the far post from Douglas Luiz’s cross.
Firmino is one of four players — along with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain — leaving this summer at the expiry of their contracts and the Brazilian came on in the 72nd minute for his final home game.
And he got behind Villa’s defense to convert Salah’s right-wing cross with the outside of his left foot.
Firmino has played for Liverpool since 2015.
Klopp watched the game from the stands while serving a touchline ban for questioning the integrity of a referee
Brentford 3, Tottenham 1
In London, Harry Kane scored a goal and lost the game in perhaps his final home appearance for Tottenham.
The England captain, who again has been linked with an off-season move away from Tottenham, curled home after an indirect free kick in the eighth minute only for Bryan Mbeumo to score twice and set up another goal in the second half for Brentford in its 3-1 win.
Tottenham might now struggle to qualify for any European competition for next season, having come into the game in seventh place — the division's only qualifying spot for the third-tier Europa Conference League.
Brentford stayed in ninth place but is only one point behind Tottenham ahead of the teams' final games of the season next weekend.
Kane's 28th league goal this season was perhaps his best of the campaign as he picked out the top corner with a 25-meter shot after Dejan Kulusevski rolled the ball backward with the sole of his foot at a free kick. It put Kane eight goals behind the league's top scorer, Erling Haaland.
Kane will be 30 years old by the time next season starts. With only one year left on his contract, he and Tottenham might decide this summer is the time to part ways to give the club a chance to get some money for its star player and for him to get a better opportunity for trophies.
Kane was joined by the rest of the squad in coming back out onto the field at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the end-of-season lap of appreciation, when he was also awarded the club's player of the season award from fans.
By then, the majority of home supporters had left, with Tottenham having slipped to a fifth loss in its last seven games.
Mbeumo cut in from the left for both of his goals, in the 50th and 62nd minutes, and then led a counterattack before setting up Yoane Wissa for a composed finish to seal victory for Brentford in the 88th.
Brentford was without Ivan Toney, who was handed an eight-month suspension on Wednesday for breaching betting regulations.
Brentford hosts Manchester City in its last match.
Crystal Palace 1, Fulham 1
In London, Joel Ward’s late equalizer salvaged for Crystal Palace a 2-2 draw at Fulham.
Mid-table teams without a chance of European competition next season played out their match at Craven Cottage at pedestrian pace.
Odsonne Edouard opened the scoring for Palace but Aleksandar Mitrovic’s spot kick in first half stoppage time ensured the sides were level at the break.
The Serbian striker, who returned to Fulham's starting lineup for the first time since his eight-match ban, looked to have ignited a comeback win when he fired in his 14th of the season.
The hosts, however, were denied a final home victory of the campaign when Palace skipper Ward levelled from his own rebound for his first goal since February 2019.
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