LONDON: NBC’s Premier League team is used to covering the pomp and circumstance of the champions lifting the trophy on Championship Sunday.
With Manchester City having their title ceremonies last week after winning their third straight Premier League title and fifth in the last six seasons, it’s all about the fight to avoid relegation going into the final match day.
NBC’s studio crew and top announcer team will be at Goodison Park for Everton’s match against Bournemouth. Everton have 33 points, two points clear of the relegation zone, but could find themselves out of England’s top division for the first time in nearly 70 years with a loss and a victory by either Leicester City or Leeds United. Everton could be relegated with a draw and a win by Leicester City, which won the 2016 title.
This is first time in NBC’s 10 years of carrying the Premier League that it will be on site for a match with relegation implications.
“I think this is as good as it gets. It would be great to have a title race as well, but this actually allows us to focus on relegation, which we so often can’t do,” said NBC Premier League host Rebecca Lowe. “It paints a whole different picture of an end of a season.
“It’s so rare to have three clubs this size threatened with relegation, which makes the gravitas, the jeopardy, everything even bigger.”
Everton’s large following of fans in the United States is another reason why NBC decided to anchor coverage from Goodison Park. Three teams will vie to avoid the last two relegation spots and join Southampton in heading to the second-tier Championship next season.
NBC studio analyst and former US men’s national team goalkeeper Tim Howard, who made 414 appearances for Everton from 2006-16, will be on hand.
With the Indianapolis 500 on NBC, all 10 matches will be streamed on Peacock for the first time. The Everton match also will be on USA Network, while Leicester City hosting West Ham is on SYFY and Leeds United vs. Tottenham on CNBC. Bravo will carry Manchester United’s match against Fulham, which have no bearing on the standings. All of the matches will start at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Coverage will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Peacock and one hour later on USA Network.
Pierre Moossa, NBC’s Coordinating Producer for the Premier League, said Sunday’s coverage could be among the most dramatic since they started covering the league in 2013.
“I know that we all get excited about trophies and medals and everything else, but the imagery after Sunday’s results will be as emotional as you’ll see in any sport,” he said. “What it means to the club or what it means to the players is ultimately their essence.”
While there will be sadness for Leicester City and Leeds United if they are relegated, Lowe said he thinks the scenes from Everton could be different.
“If Everton go down, it’s going to be a lot of anger mixed into the sadness, which will make for quite some scenario,” she said.
The season average for matches on NBC and USA Network is 500,000 viewers, which is even with last season, and the second-most watched Premier League season in the US
Four of the exclusive Premier League matches on Peacock averaged at least 750,000 viewers, according to NBC.
Moossa said he’s been pleased with Peter Drury, who became NBC’s top announcer following the departure of Arlo White. Drury, Lee Dixon and Graeme Le Saux will call the Everton-Bournemouth match.
The Premier League and NBC will have a short offseason before the new campaign begins in August. NBC will be broadcasting the Premier League Summer Series, the first time the league is hosting a preseason tournament in the US There will be nine matches from July 22-31 carried on Peacock, with select matches on NBC and USA Network.
Everton’s fight to avoid relegation gets prominent place in NBC’s Premier League coverage
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Everton’s fight to avoid relegation gets prominent place in NBC’s Premier League coverage
- NBC's studio crew and top announcer team will be at Goodison Park for Everton's match against Bournemouth
- This is first time in NBC's 10 years of carrying the Premier League that it will be on site for a match with relegation implications
Inter beat Como to keep in touch with leaders Atalanta
- Como, coached by Cesc Fabregas, slipped a spot to 16th and sit just one point clear of the relegation zone
MILAN, Italy: Inter Milan saw off Como 2-0 on Monday to stretch their unbeaten run in Serie A to 11 games and move back to within three points of leaders Atalanta.
Defender Carlos Augusto headed in from a corner early in the second half before Marcus Thuram wrapped up a fourth successive league win with a thumping finish in stoppage time.
Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer made a crucial save on the hour to deny Nico Paz an equalizer as Simone Inzaghi’s side showed signs of weariness at the San Siro in what was their third outing in a week.
Thuram’s goal was his 12th of the season and sent him level with Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui for the league lead.
“Marcus is a high-class player who always trains well and has adapted very quickly to the way we play,” said Inzaghi.
“You have to congratulate Como for coming here and giving it their all, but we stayed focused and showed great maturity.”
Third-placed Inter are a point behind Napoli but have played a game less than the top two teams after their match with Fiorentina was called off at the start of December following Edoardo Bove’s sudden collapse.
Reigning champions Inter visit lowly Cagliari this weekend and could put the pressure back on Atalanta, who are away to Lazio in the late game on Saturday.
Como, coached by Cesc Fabregas, slipped a spot to 16th and sit just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Fiorentina lost more ground in the title race after falling to a 2-1 home defeat by Udinese.
Moise Kean’s early penalty gave Fiorentina the lead as they sought to shake off last weekend’s loss to Bologna that snapped the club’s eight-match winning streak in Serie A.
However, Udinese equalized shortly after half-time through Lorenzo Lucca and former France international Florian Thauvin curled in the winner from outside the area.
“The most important thing for me is not the goal but the victory. These are three important points against a very strong team,” said Udinese captain Thauvin.
Udinese stayed ninth and are eight points off the European places.
Dortmund holds on with 10 men for 1st away win in Bundesliga
- Dortmund climbed to sixth ahead of the league’s winter break, but it’s not where the club aspires to be after a shaky start to the league
BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund held on after Pascal Groß’ sending off to beat Wolfsburg 3-1 for its first Bundesliga away win of the season on Sunday.
Donyell Malen got the visitors off the mark with a volley to a corner in the 25th, three minutes before Julian Brandt played in Maximilian Beier to score Dortmund’s second goal. Beier, who scored with the outside of his boot in off the left post, celebrated with a throwing-dart gesture.
Beier returned the favor for Brandt to score Dortmund’s third two minutes after that.
Despite the commanding lead, the visitors were second-best for long periods thereafter as Wolfsburg improved dramatically.
Coach Ralph Hasenhüttl made two changes at the break, including sending on Lukas Nmecha to face his brother Felix Nmecha, who was playing for Dortmund.
Denis Vavro pulled one back in the 58th, four minutes before Groß was sent off for a foul on Lukas Nmecha when the Wolfsburg forward was through on goal.
The home team pushed hard but Dortmund managed to hold on to ease the pressure on coach Nuri Sahin.
“A 3-0 lead should mean you can get through the game with confidence,” said Brandt, who complained about his team’s drop in performance. “We’re to blame for that. It’s not good, we need to play more confidently, we need to grow up.”
Dortmund climbed to sixth ahead of the league’s winter break, but it’s not where the club aspires to be after a shaky start to the league.
“We’ll try a reset and to play better in the new year,” Beier said. “It can’t be our goal to be sixth.”
Bochum celebrates
Bottom club Bochum defeated relegation rival Heidenheim 2-0 for its first win of the season.
“When we play like we did today it means there are lots of possibilities for the next 19 games,” said Bochum coach Dieter Hecking. “From that point of view I’m also glad we won because I couldn’t have handled many more games without a win.”
It was the visitors’ seventh straight Bundesliga defeat, the culmination of a busy schedule after clinching European qualification from its league debut last season and the offseason loss of star players like Jan-Niklas Beste, Tim Kleindienst and Eren Dinkci.
“We’re at the end of another ‘English week’ (with midweek games) again,” Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt said. “Everyone did their best, but we have to be honest – it wasn’t enough.”
Mbappe back from ‘bottom’ as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- Mbappe, back after a brief absence with a thigh injury, scored for Madrid in midweek as they won the Intercontinental Cup
MADRID: Kylian Mbappe said he had bounced back from hitting rock bottom after helping Real Madrid thrash Sevilla 4-2 on Saturday to move second in La Liga above stuttering rivals Barcelona.
After Atletico Madrid beat Barca on Saturday to claim top spot at Christmas, Carlo Ancelotti’s side also took advantage with a comfortable home win which leaves them a point behind the leaders.
Madrid coach Ancelotti said ahead of Sevilla’s visit that Mbappe’s adaptation period had ended following his summer switch from Paris Saint-Germain and the French forward proved the coach right with a strong performance and his 14th goal of the season across all competitions.
Fede Valverde also netted a brilliant effort from range, with Rodrygo Goes and Brahim Diaz on the scoresheet for the hosts too, the latter assisted by a clever Mbappe pass.
Isaac Romero and Dodi Lukebakio scored for Sevilla, although they were thoroughly outplayed on veteran defender Jesus Navas’ final game for the club.
“I think that we know each other better, my arrival changed a lot of things, and now, as the coach said, the adaptation is over and I feel very good in the team,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.
“We can see on the pitch that I click better with my team-mates and now we’re all playing better.”
Mbappe, back after a brief absence with a thigh injury, scored for Madrid in midweek as they won the Intercontinental Cup.
It was welcome relief for the forward after missing two penalties in recent weeks against Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao, as well as suffering criticism for his form.
“I know I’ve got much more in my legs than I’m showing, but in the last games I’ve played better,” Mbappe added.
“The Bilbao game was good for me, I hit the bottom, I missed a penalty and it was a moment to realize that I have to give everything for this shirt and show my personality.”
With Vinicius Junior suspended, Mbappe took the reins and broke the deadlock in the 10th minute as Madrid brought the ball out from the back and worked it to Rodrygo on the left flank.
The Brazilian squared to Mbappe on the edge of the area, who took one touch to control, another to set himself and with his third, smashed a fierce effort past the helpless Alvaro Fernandez.
“I think (Mbappe) has been self-critical, he’s come out of a situation that could have been complicated for him,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“Yesterday I said his adaptation period was over, today he showed it, sometimes I’m not wrong.”
The coach said Madrid had found their footing after struggling at times in the first half of the season.
“We’re running a bit more, playing with more intensity, we’re doing things well again, as we have to do — they’ve been complicated months,” Ancelotti added.
Madrid’s second, 10 minutes later, was even better, with Valverde firing a screamer into the top corner from over 30 yards out after a short corner.
Ancelotti’s side were in full flow and the third followed in the 34th minute when Lucas Vazquez crossed for Rodrygo.
Sevilla hit back within a minute, with Romero nodding home from Juanlu Sanchez’s cross.
Madrid stretched their lead after the break with Mbappe dinking a superb pass through for Diaz to finish clinically.
Sevilla brought on Navas after the hour mark and he was applauded by the Santiago Bernabeu, with this his 705th and final appearance for the club, far more than any other player.
Madrid and Sevilla players together gave the retiring Spanish great — a World Cup winner in 2010 and two-time Euros champion — a guard of honor at the start of the game.
Navas, 39, won four Europa Leagues and two Copa del Rey trophies with Sevilla, but his final appearance ended in disappointment for the Andalusians.
Lukebakio pulled one back late on for Sevilla as Madrid were able to finish an impressive year, in which they became Spanish and European champions, with positive vibes.
“Today was a spectacle, I haven’t seen anything like that in my life at an away ground, it was crazy,” an emotional Navas told reporters.
“I was thinking of all the moments that I’ve lived through, the joys I’ve given to my Sevilla and my national team.”
Troubled Manchester United humiliated by Bournemouth
- Second successive flop for Amorim’s side following 4-3 League Cup quarterfinal exit at Tottenham
- Bournemouth win came a year after securing first ever victory at Old Trafford
MANCHESTER: Manchester United crashed to a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday as Ruben Amorim lost for the fourth time in his nine games in charge of the troubled Old Trafford club.
It was a second successive flop for Amorim’s side following their 4-3 League Cup quarter-final exit at Tottenham on Thursday.
Bournemouth took a first-half lead through Dean Huijsen before Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo netted after the interval to complete a dismal afternoon for Amorim, who replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag in November.
A year after securing their first ever victory at Old Trafford, Andoni Iraola’s Cherries triumphed by the same scoreline as they inflicted the biggest blow of Amorim’s short reign.
Huijsen became the latest player to capitalize on United’s woeful set-piece defending, before a Kluivert penalty and a Semenyo strike sealed a stunning win that brought boos from the home fans at full-time.
The result leaves United marooned in 13th over Christmas and marked an alarming fall from grace after last Sunday’s 2-1 derby win at Manchester City.
Amorim had always warned there would be bumps in the road but this fourth defeat in his ninth match in charge further underlined the issues at hand.
Marcus Rashford’s absence from a third consecutive matchday squad had dominated the pre-match discussion as Amorim made six changes.
United offered little attacking threat without Rashford and their glaring deficiences at the back were ruthlessly exploited by a Bournemouth side who are now up to fifth place.
Tyrell Malacia was furious to be adjudged to have fouled Adam Smith and Huijsen easily beat Joshua Zirkee to head home the resulting free-kick from Ryan Christie in the 29th minute.
Amorim brought on Leny Yoro for Malacia at half-time and soon made two further changes, with Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho replacing Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte.
The changes made no difference and Noussair Mazraoui conceded a careless penalty when he brought down Kluivert in the 61st minute.
The Netherlands international stepped up to send Andre Onana the wrong way as he stroked home from the spot.
United’s capitulation was complete two minutes later.
Kobbie Mainoo’s pass was cut out and Bournemouth broke as Evanilson slipped in Dango Ouattara, whose cutback was driven home by Semenyo.
Jubilant Bournemouth fans chanted “Man United, it’s happened again” in reference to last year’s victory, while the dejected home supporters flooded toward the exits.
Balotelli almost scores first goal for Genoa but Napoli hold on to lead Serie A again
- Lazio rebounded from a dismal 6-0 thrashing at home to Inter Milan by winning at lowly Lecce 2-1
- Bologna had a penalty saved but won at Torino 2-0
MILAN: Mario Balotelli almost scored his first goal back in Serie A while Napoli returned to the top after withstanding a late siege from Genoa to hold on for a 2-1 win on Saturday.
Balotelli returned to Serie A after more than four years in October and has made six appearances totalling just 57 minutes.
The 34-year-old was sent on with seven minutes remaining against Napoli and almost had an immediate impact as Andrea Pinamonti’s glancing header clipped Balotelli’s knee but goalkeeper Alex Meret managed to push it off the post.
It was one of several decisive saves by Meret in the second half as Genoa came out fighting after going into the break two goals down following headers from Frank Anguissa and Amir Rrahmani.
Pinamonti got Genoa back into it six minutes into the second half with a fine finish into the bottom right corner but the home side went on to suffer its first defeat since hiring Patrick Vieira as coach last month.
It was also Genoa’s first match since coming under the ownership of Romanian businessman Dan Șucu.
The loss left Genoa 13th in Serie A but only two points above the relegation zone.
Napoli moved a point above Atalanta, who host Empoli on Sunday.
10-men Lecce almost hold out
Lazio rebounded from a dismal 6-0 thrashing at home to Inter Milan by winning at lowly Lecce 2-1 but it was far from convincing despite Lecce playing the entire second half with 10 men.
Lecce’s chances of getting something from the match appeared to evaporate on the stroke of halftime.
Taty Castellanos’ first shot was parried brilliantly by Wladimiro Falcone and his follow-up was cleared off the line by the hand of Lecce defender Frédéric Guilbert, who was shown a straight red card.
Castellanos fired the resulting penalty into the bottom left corner.
Tete Morente volleyed Lecce level five minutes after the break and it seemed as if the 10 men were going to hold out for a point but substitute Adam Marusic — who had only just come off the bench — scored the winner three minutes from time.
Lecce almost leveled in stoppages but Mohamed Kaba’s header came off the crossbar.
Lazio moved to fourth while Lecce remained two points clear of the drop zone.
Bologna had a penalty saved but won at Torino 2-0.
