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Horror for Bassong as Norwich City's PL dreams fade

Marvin MatipMarvin Matip

Tue, 10 May 2016 Source: supersport.com

Tunisian Wahbi Khazri was thrilled and Cameroonian Sebastien Bassong tormented after the roles they played at the weekend in the English Premier League relegation struggle.

A Khazri volley brought Sunderland level against Chelsea and they went on to triumph 3-2 and boost chances of dodging demotion to the second-tier Championship.

But Norwich City are on the verge of losing their Premier League status after a Bassong blunder led to a 1-0 home defeat by Manchester United.

ENGLAND

RIYAD MAHREZ (Leicester City)

The Algeria winger, whose brilliance on the flank has been one of the highlights of the season, received his thoroughly-deserved Premier League winners' medal as the Foxes lifted the trophy after a joyous 3-1 win at home to Everton. During the match, Mahrez found Andy King, who in turn provided the cross for Jamie Vardy's opening goal. And it was Mahrez's quick-footed step over and cross, diverted by Everton's Leighton Baines, which set-up King to score Leicester's second goal.

ANDRE AYEW (Swansea City)

The Ghana forward scored the Welsh club's second goal in a commanding 4-1 win at West Ham when he volleyed in his 11th goal of the season in the 31st minute at Upton Park after getting on the end of a cross from Stephen Kingsley.

WAHBI KHAZRI (Sunderland)

He scored one of the goals of this or any other season when his sweetly-timed and powerful angled volley from 20 yards flew into the left-hand corner of the net. The Tunisian's superb 41st-minute strike brought Sunderland level at 1-1 in a match they eventually won 3-2 to give themselves a great shot at avoiding relegation.

SEBASTIEN BASSONG (Norwich City)

The Cameroon defender made a horrible, and potentially costly mistake, when his misjudgement of a long ball from Antonio Valencia allowed Wayne Rooney to nip in and set up Juan Mata in the 65th minute for the only goal of Manchester United's 1-0 win at Carrow Road that edged the second-bottom Canaries ever closer towards relegation from the English top flight.

SPAIN

YOUSSEF EL ARABI (Granada)

Moroccan forward El Arabi scored his 17th goal of the season from the penalty spot as Granada secured their place in La Liga next season with a 4-1 thrashing of Andalusian rivals Sevilla.

FAYCAL FAJR (Deportivo la Coruna)

Fajr curled home a wonderful opening goal into the top corner from outside the box to put Deportivo la Coruna on course for a 2-0 win at Villarreal. It was the Moroccan midfielder's fifth goal of the season.

ITALY

MOHAMED SALAH (Roma)

Salah looked far from happy when he looked up to see his number being held up on the touchlines, having been deprived of a possible scoring chance shortly before when teammate Diego Perotti stole in to shoot wide. But the Egypt winger could hardly complain at allowing Roma legend Francesco Totti to come on in his place and make his 600th Serie A appearance as Roma were already 2-0 up. Totti, 39, capped his landmark game with a wonderful assist for Miralem Pjanic to hit Roma's third at the death.

AMADOU DIAWARA (Bologna)

If Bologna were to beat Europa League-chasing AC Milan, 11 players would have been preferable for the job at hand. But Diawara made the hosts' task significantly tougher when a rather boisterous approach to the clash at the Dall'Ara stadium saw the Guinean sent off after just 12 minutes, easing Milan’s path to a patchy 1-0 win. Diawara and Milan midfielder Jose Mauri had earned cautions after a tussle on six minutes that saw both players raise their hands to the other's face. Diawara was given his marching orders six minutes later when he ploughed through Milan captain Riccardo Montolivo.

FRANCE

LACINA TRAORE (Monaco)

The striker's frustration at his side's bad start against Lyon boiled over when he picked up two yellow cards within a couple of minutes, leaving his side facing a two-goal deficit with 10 men for over an hour. The Ivorian now has two red cards this season, after also being sent off in his only appearance for the reserve team. It proved costly, as Monaco were thrashed 6-1 to miss out on the chance to wrap up a Champions League spot.

CHEICK DIABATE (Bordeaux)

The Malian forward has had a good season and his brace in the Girondin's 3-0 win over Lorient takes him to 10 league goals for the campaign. He also provided the assist for Malcolm's opening goal.

GERMANY

MARVIN MATIP (Ingolstadt 04)

The Cameroon defender conceded the penalty which led to Bayern Munich taking the lead in their 2-1 win at Ingolstadt which confirmed Pep Guardiola's side as German league champions for the fourth season running. Matip's tackle on Franck Ribery saw Bayern awarded a 15th-minute penalty and Robert Lewandowski drilled home the spot-kick before adding his second on 32 minutes to leave him as the league's top scorer with 29 goals this season.

IBRAHIMA TRAORE (Borussia Moenchengladbach)

The Guinea winger set up Andre Hahn for the first of his two goals in Moenchengladbach's 2-1 comeback win at home to Bayer Leverkusen which kept his side on course for a Champions League play-off place next season. Traore's shot on 43 minutes was saved by Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno, but Hahn drove home the rebound before adding the winner on 79 minutes to keep Gladbach fourth with one game left this season.

Source: supersport.com