. Aston Villa win the duel of serial winners

With their fifth straight win, the Villans ended Newcastle's five-game winning streak in a game that justifies their European ambitions.

With 50 points, Aston Villa are 6th only six lengths from the top 4, qualifying for the Champions League, and the Magpies, 3rd with one game less.

Arriving after a 4-0 defeat at Newcastle, precisely, while the club had two wins in 11 rounds, Unai Emery transformed the season of the Birmingham club who won 12 times for two draws and four defeats under his command. Only Manchester City and Arsenal have better.

Over the last eight games, they have even taken 22 points out of a possible 24.

Their striker Ollie Watkins embodies the club's great form.

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins (l) scores a third goal against Newcastle United at Villa Park in Birmingham, April 15, 2023 © Geoff Caddick / AFP

By the 28th second of play, he had broken company with the white and black defense, but his attempt had found the post.

Ten minutes later, he rose above everyone else for a spectacular backhand for Jacob Ramsey who opened the scoring (1-0, 11th).

Ramsey came close to the double by finding the crossbar in the 15th minute, against an overwhelmed Newcastle.

If Alexander Isak and Miguel Almiron, blow after blow, were close to equalizing around the hour of play, it was Watkins who found the net shortly after, pivoting (2-0, 64th), before closing the score (3-0, 83rd), on a service back from Ramsey.

With his 11 goals in his team's last 12 games, Watkins knocked on the door of the Three Lions who were looking for an understudy for Harry Kane in the national team.

. Tottenham let points slip

In the lead after Son Heung-min opened the scoring just before the quarter of an hour of play, Spurs let themselves be raised and overtaken by Bournemouth who are fighting for the maintenance.

They remain 5th three lengths from the top 4 having played one or two more matches than the teams ahead of them.

The goal of the Korean, served back by Ivan Perisic had rewarded a good start to the match of the Londoners.

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min battles Scotland's Chris Mepham of Bournemouth, at Tottenham Stadium on April 15, 2023 in London © Adrian DENNIS / AFP

But the Cherries gradually got back into the game and their equaliser, with a spiked ball from Matias Vina (1-1, 34th), was well deserved.

The break was not enough to revive Tottenham and Dominic Solanke just as logically gave the advantage (1-2, 51st) to the promoted.

Cristian Stellini's men thought they had saved a point that would have been disappointing anyway by Arnaut Danjuma (2-2, 88th) but they were caught against in extra time on a goal by Dango Ouattara (2-3, 90+5) which complicates their hunt for C1.

. Chelsea still struggling

The matches follow each other and are similar for Chelsea, once again completely overtaken by Brighton, this time, even if the score of 2-1 does not reflect the difference in level between the two teams.

With 26 shots including 10 framed for the Seagulls, against 8 and 2 for the Blues, we can better measure how painful the match was for Frank Lampard and his men.

Julio Enciso (c) celebrates with his Brighton teammates and in front of their fans their second goal against Chelsea, on April 15, 2023 in London © Ben Stansall / AFP

Despite Conor Gallagher's opening score on a deflected strike (13th), they were never in the rhythm.

Danny Wellbeck (42nd) and a sublime strike from Julio Enciso (69th) allow Roberto de Zerbi's players to remain in ambush, 7th with 49 points, while Chelsea are 11th with 10 units less.

© 2023 AFP