Compiled by Ranjika Perera
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Crowd are allowed into Premier League matches in England for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic in March last year[/caption]
The English Premier League welcomed fans on Tuesday (18) after a long break due to the pandemic. Under the changed restrictions in England, larger and seated outdoor venues are now admitting up to 10,000 spectators while smaller outdoor venues have capacities capped at 4,000 or 50 percent, whichever is the lowest.
Relegated Fulham earn a draw against Manchester United
The Red Devils suffered two back-to-back defeats at home before hosting Fulham on Tuesday. They started the game in good shape and the opening goal came from Edinson Cavani. The Uruguayan striker found the target from long range to score his first goal in front of the passionate United fans. Unfortunately, the goal wasn’t enough when Joe Bryan found the equaliser in the 76th minute to earn Fulham a point.
Ten-man City stunned by Brighton
The champions Manchester City suffered their seventh loss in the season, this time against Brighton. They took an early lead through Gundogan. A few moments later, Joao Cancelo was given a straight red which reduced City to ten men. However, they managed to double their lead through Phil Foden. Brighton came out in the second half with purpose and they struck three stunning goals to steal a satisfying win over Manchester City. Leandro Trossard, Adam Webster, and Dan Burn were the scorers for Brighton.
Chelsea get revenge from Leicester
FA Cup winners Leicester are now forced to worry about their Champions League spot next season. They were comfortably positioned in third place before this week.
Chelsea, who lost against Leicester in the final, got revenge in their league fixture on Tuesday. The blues scored two goals in the second half to seal the win and extend their chances of securing Champions League football next season. The Foxes found the target through Iheanacho late in the game, but a strong defensive effort from the blues kept them at bay until the final whistle. This loss meant that West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur are out of the top-four race.
The race remains between Chelsea, Leicester City, and Liverpool, and it seems like the final week will decide who makes it to the top four.