Manchester United and Arsenal battled to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford yesterday to leave the Londoners ahead in the race to qualify directly for next season’s Champions League group stage without having to face a play-off.
Ander Herrera volleyed United ahead after 30 minutes with Arsenal equalising in the 82nd minute when Theo Walcott’s shot deflected off Tyler Blackett and flew past Victor Valdes for an own goal.
Valdes was only seven minutes into his first United appearance after replacing the injured David De Gea.
The result lifted Arsenal on to 71 points with two matches to play with Manchester United on 69 with one game to go.
Arsenal can still catch Manchester City and finish second, while United can still catch Arsenal and finish third with the top three places securing a group stage place in the Champions League next season.
Manchester City made sure they will finish in the top three by beating Swansea City 4-2 earlier in the afternoon. Chelsea, who have sealed the title, play at West Bromwich Albion tonight.
United went ahead when Ashley Young got the better of Hector Bellerin out on the left and crossed to the far post where the unmarked Herrera took his chance well, firing past David Ospina with a low volley.
Arsene Wenger named an unchanged Arsenal side for the sixth match running, something he had not done for 21 years, but they failed to muster a shot on target in the first half with United largely in control.
They improved after the break and Olivier Giroud forced De Gea to scramble clear after 63 minutes.
The United keeper was nearly beaten soon after when Aaron Ramsey broke free but saw his lob cleared by Marcos Rojo.
De Gea limped off soon after and was replaced by Valdes, making his first appearance for Man. United since joining from Bar-celona in January.
He was helpless though as the shot from substitute Walcott flew past him after taking a deflection off United’s other sub Blackett.
In Wales, Yaya Toure scored twice to lift Manchester City past Swansea City in an entertaining game in which the hosts fought back from 2-0 down to level the scores.
Ivorian midfielder Toure struck his 50th league goal for second-placed City to give them a first-half lead and James Milner added a second.
Gylfi Sigurdsson pegged one back for Swansea with an excellent curling effort on the stroke of halftime and Bafetimbi Gomes struck his fifth goal in as many games to level matters early in the second half.
As the hosts pushed on to complete a remarkable turnaround, Toure squeezed the ball in at the near post to restore the visitors’ lead before Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart made a stunning save to keep out a header from Federico Fernandez.
Man. City’s former Swansea striker Wilfried Bony added the fourth in stoppage-time with a well-placed finish.
Premier League
Man. United 1
Herrera 30;
Arsenal 1
Blackett 82og;
HT: 1-0. Att: 75,323.
Swansea City 2
Sigurdsson 45; Gomis 64;
Man. City 4
Toure 21, 74; Milner 36; Bony 90;
HT: 1-2. Att: 20,669.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Chelsea | 36 | 25 | 9 | 2 | 70 | 28 | 84 |
| Man. City | 37 | 23 | 7 | 7 | 81 | 38 | 76 |
| Arsenal | 36 | 21 | 8 | 7 | 67 | 35 | 71 |
| Man. United | 37 | 20 | 9 | 8 | 62 | 37 | 69 |
| Liverpool | 37 | 18 | 8 | 11 | 51 | 42 | 62 |
| Tottenham | 37 | 18 | 7 | 12 | 57 | 53 | 61 |
| S’thampton | 37 | 18 | 6 | 13 | 54 | 31 | 60 |
| Swansea | 37 | 16 | 8 | 13 | 46 | 48 | 56 |
| Stoke City | 37 | 14 | 9 | 14 | 42 | 44 | 51 |
| Everton | 37 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 48 | 49 | 47 |
| West Ham | 37 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 44 | 45 | 47 |
| C. Palace | 37 | 12 | 9 | 16 | 46 | 51 | 45 |
| West Brom | 36 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 34 | 47 | 41 |
| Leicester | 37 | 10 | 8 | 19 | 41 | 54 | 38 |
| Aston Villa | 37 | 10 | 8 | 19 | 31 | 56 | 38 |
| Sunderland | 36 | 7 | 16 | 13 | 30 | 50 | 37 |
| Newcastle | 37 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 38 | 63 | 36 |
| Hull City | 37 | 8 | 10 | 19 | 33 | 51 | 34 |
| Burnley | 37 | 6 | 12 | 19 | 27 | 53 | 30 |
| QPR | 37 | 8 | 6 | 23 | 41 | 68 | 30 |
Playing today
West Brom vs Chelsea - 21.00
Conference final
Bristol Rovers vs Grimsby Town - 1-1 (Bristol Rovers win 5-3 on penalties)
Scottish Championship
Qualification QFs, 2nd legs
Rangers vs Queen of South - 1-1 (Rangers win 3-2 on aggregate)
Alloa vs Forfar - 3-0 (Alloa win 4-3 on aggregate)