Here ate the latest Premier League headlines for Friday, May 6.
Tuchel confident on Chelsea sale
Thomas Tuchel has revealed his confidence that Chelsea's sale will now be completed quickly. Tuchel revealed he was informed last week that Todd Boehly's consortium had been handed preferred bidder status by Raine Group, the New York bank overseeing Chelsea's sale.
Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Boehly's bid has beaten Sir Martin Broughton and Steve Pagliuca to preferred bidder status in Chelsea's sale, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's last-minute bid now also expected to prove unsuccessful. Boehly's bid is expected to be put forward to the Premier League to undergo owners and directors tests, with the UK Government required to grant the eventual sale by issuing a new licence.
And now Chelsea boss Tuchel has revealed he has been told that a preferred bidder has been selected. "I've been told last week that we have a preferred bidder and things are going forward," said Tuchel.
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"It's a pretty important week for the club, but I was fully focused on the pitch. But after what I heard last week, I'm confident. Clearance is always the best, because when the situation is clear you can take actions, make judgements, take actions. Otherwise you're in a passive role, and this is what we are right now.
"We tried to make it the smallest issue possible, but of course it is always there. We prefer to have it in a clear and forward-thinking situation. This is what we're hoping for, we know what we deal with, this is what the circumstances are in improving the team, and that we can act, rather than react, or even worse, do nothing."
Rangnick hits back over Lingard
Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick has dismissed criticism that it was "classless" to deny Jesse Lingard an Old Trafford send-off earlier this week. Lingard is one of several players due to leave Man United this summer as his contract expires in June - with Newcastle linked with the England man - but although Rangnick gave Juan Mata and Phil Jones farewell home appearances in the 3-0 win over Brentford on Monday night, Edinson Cavani got the nod ahead of Lingard with 15 minutes to go.
That prompted Lingard's brother Louie Scott to hit out at Rangnick on social media, pointing to Lingard's two decades of service since he joined United aged seven in 2000. Lingard has been a frustrated figure at Old Trafford this season. He was promised the opportunity of more first-team football after impressing on loan at West Ham last term, but has only made only four starts all season.
Rangnick said: "To start with, in the last couple of weeks under my tenure he has played far more games than he used to. Secondly, on game day against Chelsea (on April 28) he asked me to release him from the game and training the following day for personal family reasons.
"And this was the reason. With only three substitutes I had to take a decision between Edinson Cavani and Jesse Lingard, or the young (Alejandro Garnacho), who I would have loved to have brought on and given a chance to play. I took the decision to bring on Edinson. Had I not brought on Edinson someone else might have asked if it's classless not to bring on Cavani or Garnacho. You have to take a decision and this will not be to the liking of everybody - and this is part of the game."
Gerrard: Villa have underachieved
Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard says this season has been an under-achievement. Following a poor start to the campaign under Dean Smith, Villa threatened to push for European qualification after Gerrard's appointment produced an upturn in form and results, but that has plateaued in recent weeks. Last week's win over Norwich was their first in six Premier League games and Gerrard wants to end the season well in their remaining five games.
"We want to finish in a place where we can be satisfied - I don't think we're going to be happy or celebrating anything this season because the team, from the beginning of the season to now, has underachieved," he said on the club's official website ahead of this weekend's visit to Burnley.
"In the remaining games, it's about putting ourselves in a place that we can go and build on. We can try and strengthen in the coming window, have a positive pre-season and reset everything going into a brand new season. Those are the short-term priorities."
Saints want top half
Ralph Hasenhuttl is still eyeing a "massive" top-half finish for his Southampton side as he calls for greater consistency amid a stuttering end to the season. Having taken just five points from their past nine Premier League outings, Saints are still not mathematically safe from relegation.
However, with the table congested - only four points separate ninth-placed Brighton from Southampton in 15th - there is still plenty to play for. Hasenhuttl wants to look up rather than over his shoulder and a trip to Brentford on Saturday provides a chance to push towards the top 10.
Asked if it would be an achievement to finish in the top half for the first time in five years, he replied: "Massive, definitely. Because I think from the financial opportunities we had in the past, the goal was to stay in the league and that is the toughest one I think.
"But in the end, we have shown, and this is the key part, we have played like a top-10 team. But you have to be clear that there are some fantastic teams in there with quality, but I think the consistency is the big issue.
"We have not shown this for 38 games in all the time that I have been here. This is the goal to be more consistent to lift the bad times we have so that we don't get too far away from what we can definitely play. When we manage this, I think then the chances are there, although we know that we are playing a super tough league."
Potter's Ronaldo praise
Brighton boss Graham Potter has acclaimed the brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo but hopes the Manchester United forward fluffs his lines on Saturday. Man United have endured a disappointing season and appear destined to finish outside the Premier League's top four, but Ronaldo has emerged as a shining light by scoring 24 goals in 37 games.
The 37-year-old was on target when the rivals last clashed in February and Potter knows his side cannot switch off at any moment.
"I've been so impressed with Ronaldo, how he's played, how he's helped his team," Potter said. "Scoring goals, his movement is sensational and you can see how his career has developed from wide to centrally and how that can help him now.
"Obviously he's not getting any younger, but you still retain your brain and your football understanding. His finishing is as clinical as you'll get. It's a great experience for our players and hopefully he doesn't have such a good day at the Amex on Saturday."
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