New Zealand reached the World Cup for only the third time with a 3-0 win over New Caledonia but lost in-form Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood to injury.
The All Whites join already qualified Japan and co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico at next year’s finals thanks to three second-half goals.
But the victory in Auckland in the final of Oceania qualifying came at a cost, with skipper Wood suffering what appeared to be a hip injury.
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New Zealand’s Chris Wood goes down injured during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Oceania qualifiers group final football match between New Zealand and New Caledonia at Eden Park Stadium in Auckland on March 24, 2025. (Photo by DAVID ROWLAND / AFP)Source: AFP
Soon after half time at Eden Park, Wood hurt himself swivelling for a shot and required treatment before hobbling off in the 54th minute.
“It’s not great for us losing our captain and our goalscorer. It was a difficult thing for the team but they came through so well,” said New Zealand’s English coach Darren Bazeley.
The hosts looked out of ideas after dominating the first half, but then up popped veteran defender Michael Boxall on 61 minutes to head home from a corner with his first goal for his country.
Five minutes later Wood’s replacement Kosta Barbarouses chipped the ball over advancing New Caledonia goalkeeper Rocky Nyikeine.
Substitute Eli Just put gloss on the scoreline from close range with 10 minutes left.
New Caledonia’s unlikely World Cup hopes are not over and they will go into an intercontinental playoff.
Next year’s World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, meaning direct entry for the first time for the team that won the qualifying competition in Oceania.
The region’s top side previously had to go through an intercontinental playoff, with New Zealand falling at the final hurdle to Mexico, Costa Rica and Peru in recent editions.
New Zealand have been to the World Cup twice before, in 1982 and 2010, but are yet to win at the competition in six matches.
“Once the World Cup expanded we expected this of ourselves,” said Boxall. “It’s not about getting there, it’s about what we do when we get there.”
Chris Wood acknowledges the crowd after their victory during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Oceania qualifiers group final football match between New Zealand and New Caledonia at Eden Park Stadium in Auckland on March 24, 2025. (Photo by DAVID ROWLAND / AFP)Source: AFP
Facing a side ranked 152 in the world, 63 places below them, hosts New Zealand immediately went on the front foot.
New Caledonia, a French Pacific territory of about 300,000 people which has never been to the World Cup, twice cleared off the line in quick succession after 20 minutes.
Wood, who is in the form of his life at Forest with 18 goals in the Premier League this season, had a chance in the 32nd minute but Nyikeine saved comfortably.
The 33-year-old Wood then headed over the bar from a corner and at the half-time whistle, with the game unexpectedly level, the New Caledonia players mobbed Nyikeine.
Bazeley had seen enough and made two changes at the break, bringing on winger Just and defender Francis de Vries.
Despite losing talisman Wood, New Zealand’s pressure eventually paid off against a rapidly tiring New Caledonia to put the All Whites into the World Cup.
Manchester City roared back into form with a 6-0 thrashing of Ipswich, while Nottingham Forest’s unlikely title challenge goes on after a 3-2 victory over Southampton took Nuno Espirito Santo’s men level with second-placed Arsenal.
– ‘We are worst team in history of Man Utd’: Amorim –
Ruben Amorim made the astonishing admission that his Manchester United flops are the worst team in the club’s history after Sunday’s dismal 3-1 defeat against Brighton.
United crumbled to a sixth loss in 11 Premier League games since Amorim arrived from Sporting Lisbon to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag.
“We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United,” Amorim said after his side’s wretched display at Old Trafford.
“I know you want headlines but I am saying that because we have to acknowledge that and to change that. Here you go: your headlines.”
Man UTD legend passes away aged 84 | 00:39
Amorim’s side are languishing in 13th place and although they are 10 points above the relegation zone, they are far from certain to avoid being dragged into the survival struggle on the evidence of Sunday’s display.
Yankuba Minteh set the tone for United’s moribund performance with an early opener for Brighton.
Bruno Fernandes equalised with a penalty before half-time, but second-half goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter left United in turmoil.
United have suffered six home league defeats this season, their most from their opening 12 matches of a season since 1893-94.
They have also lost 10 of their 22 league games this season, the earliest into a top-flight campaign that they have hit double figures for defeats since 1989-90.
“Imagine what this is for a fan of Manchester United. Imagine what this is for me. We are getting a new coach who is losing more than the last coach. I have full knowledge of that,” Amorim said.
While United have not been dragged completely into the fight for survival just yet, Amorim must find a way to get results to avoid the pressure on him becoming intolerable.
The 39-year-old arrived at United in November, hailed as one of Europe’s brightest young coaches.
But his preferred 3-4-3 formation is not suited to the players in United’s squad.
Yet, while he admitted he is only thinking of avoiding relegation now, the Portuguese coach refuses to change his philosophy.
“I am not going to change, no matter what. I know we can succeed but we need to survive this moment. I am not naive. We need to survive now,” Amorim said.
United’s latest calamity came on the day the club paid a sombre tribute to Denis Law after their legendary striker passed away aged 84 on Friday.
Postecoglou: ‘Spurs need reinforcements’ | 01:11
– ‘Everybody is underperforming’ –
Law is immortalised in a statue of United’s ‘Holy Trinity’ alongside Bobby Charlton and George Best outside Old Trafford.
Fans laid scarves and flowers at the statue in tribute to the third highest scorer in United’s history and took part in a minute’s applause for Law prior to kick-off.
What transpired after that would have shocked Law to his core as Amorim’s team once again failed to live up to the storied history of the 20-time English champions.
“In nine games in the Premier League, we won two,” Amorim said. “Everybody here is underperforming, no matter what the circumstances.
“We are underperforming and have to accept that. It’s unacceptable to lose so many games, for any Premier League club, imagine Manchester United.
“So it’s a really hard moment but we have to continue, we have to continue, there is no other way.”
United have lost six of their last seven league games against Brighton in an indication of how far they have fallen since last winning the title in 2013.
Amorim’s side host Rangers in their next game on Thursday in the Europa League, with the manager desperate for a positive result to change the mood.
“I knew it was going to be hard to put a completely new idea in the moment, but when you lose games and don’t win three games in a row it becomes really hard,” Amorim said.
“So that’s why I’m telling we are going to suffer because I will continue to do the same.
“I am just here to help my players, but we need to understand we are breaking all the bad records.”
Haaland signs monster deal with City | 01:21
– Foden stars as Man City hit Ipswich for six –
Phil Foden struck twice as Manchester City climbed to fourth in the Premier League with a 6-0 rout of struggling Ipswich on Sunday.
Foden netted either side of Mateo Kovacic’s eye-catching goal as City blew Ipswich away with three first-half goals at Portman Road.
Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland and James McAtee netted after the interval as City enjoyed their biggest league win this season.
Pep Guardiola’s side have won three of their last four league games as they begin the long climb back to respectability after a dismal start to the season.
Sterner tests lie in wait for City, including a vital Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday and looming Premier League clashes with Chelsea and Arsenal.
But this was the kind of confident display City used to make look routine during their march to four successive English titles.
Winning is almost certain to prove beyond them as they trail leaders Liverpool by 12 points.
Guardiola will settle for restoring City’s pride this term as he rebuilds a team that suddenly grew old and inconsistent before his eyes.
Haaland, who has scored 112 goals in just 127 appearances for City, this week committed himself to the club until 2034 when he signed a new nine-and-a-half year deal.
But Kyle Walker was again absent from the City side amid reports that AC Milan are ready to bid for the unsettled England right-back.
In City’s first visit to Portman Road for 23 years, the champions emphasised how powerful they can still be at peak form.
– Ruthless City –
Haaland scored a hat-trick when City beat Ipswich 4-1 in August and he threatened to net in the opening moments in Suffolk.
Kovacic’s pass split the Ipswich defence and sent Haaland clean through on goal, but the Norway striker’s shot was pushed away by Christian Walton.
Kovacic fired wastefully over after a flowing move carved open the Ipswich rearguard again.
Omari Hutchinson almost put Ipswich ahead against the run of play with a stinging strike from just inside the area that hit Haaland and flashed just over.
But City’s pressure was rewarded in the 27th minute when Doku and Kevin De Bruyne combined to set up Foden for a clinical close-range finish.
Foden turned provider as ruthless City doubled their lead three minutes later. Kovacic strode onto Foden’s pass on the edge of the area and smashed a superb low strike past the flat-footed Walton for his first goal since October.
Guardiola’s men were rampant and they struck again three minutes before half-time.
Set free by Doku, De Bruyne raced into the area and cut the ball back for Foden, whose shot from five yards evaded Walton’s weak attempted save.
The England forward’s fifth goal in his last four games maintained his recent improvement.
City have scored 25 first-half goals in 22 games, more than any other team in the Premier League this season.
Ipswich were powerless to stem the tide. Doku danced through their defence to score City’s fourth with a low shot that hit Dara O’Shea on its way past Walton in the 49th minute.
City showed no mercy and Haaland joined the party in the 57th minute. Jack Clarke conceded possession and Doku teed up Haaland to drill past Walton for his 22nd goal in all competitions this season.
McAtee came off the bench to bag City’s sixth in the 69th minute, the 22-year-old looping a header over Walton from Kovacic’s cross.
Forest were equally rampant in the first 45 minutes to cut the gap on leaders Liverpool to six points and consolidate their lead in the race for a place in the Champions League next season.
Elliot Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Chris Wood netted before the break. Southampton salvaged some pride in the second period through Jan Bednarek and Paul Onuachu but they remain on course for an immediate return to the Championship, 10 points adrift of safety.
Arsenal has passed an early test of their Premier League title credentials with a 2-0 win at Aston Villa as Manchester United crashed to a last-gasp 2-1 defeat at Brighton on Saturday.
Erling Haaland’s hat-trick fired champions Manchester City to the top of the table with a 4-1 win over Ipswich, while Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham thrashed Everton 4-0.
Arsenal’s two defeats to Villa last season cost them a first league title in 20 years.
The Gunners gained revenge in Birmingham but needed a stunning save from David Raya to prevent Ollie Watkins heading Villa in front.
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Leandro Trossard of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates during the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Arsenal FC at Villa Park on August 24, 2024 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Leandro Trossard came off the bench to make the breakthrough with a composed finish on 67 minutes.
Thomas Partey then made sure of the victory with a low effort that Emiliano Martinez should have kept out.
Arsenal have finished second to City in each of the past two seasons and they seem set to battle it out for the title once more.
Pep Guardiola’s men were shocked early on by newly-promoted Ipswich when Sammie Szmodics squeezed a shot through Ederson’s legs at the Etihad.
But City responded with three goals in four minutes.
Haaland levelled from the penalty spot before Ipswich keeper Arijanet Muric handed his old club a gift as he was dispossessed by Savinho and Kevin De Bruyne slotted into an empty net.
City made it three when the unstoppable Haaland flicked De Bruyne’s deft pass past Muric.
Haaland completed his 10th City hat-trick in the 88th minute with a typically predatory finish for his fourth goal already this season.
With 94 goals in 96 starts for City, Haaland deserves to be ranked alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo according to boss Guardiola.
“The numbers are ridiculous. He can compete in terms of goals with Ronaldo and Messi,” he said.
Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (R) speaks with Manchester City’s Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland (C) as he is substituted during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Ipswich Town at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on August 24, 2024. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP) /Source: AFP
Hope of a new dawn for under-fire United boss Erik ten Hag was shattered by Joao Pedro’s 95th-minute winner for Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
“Both goals are very soft,” said Ten Hag. “As a team, we should have done better. We have to be more clinical in both boxes.” United fell behind to a 32nd-minute goal from Danny Welbeck. Amad Diallo equalised for United after an hour, cutting inside for a shot that deflected in off Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke.
Joshua Zirkzee prevented Alejandro Garnacho from putting the visitors ahead in the closing stages when the United forward touched home his team-mate’s finish on the line from an offside position.
Brazilian striker Pedro rubbed salt into United’s wounds as he headed home from Simon Adingra’s cross to ensure Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler maintained his 100 percent start following last weekend’s win at Everton.
Socceroos aim for direct qualification | 00:54
The 31-year-old German is the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history.
“My team deserved to win. These moments make memories and we have to enjoy it,” Hurzeler said.
Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma got back in favour with boss Ange Postecoglou as his superb strike opened the floodgates against Everton.
Postecoglou picked Bissouma following a one-game suspension for posting a social media video that showed him inhaling nitrous oxide.
“You know what it’s like when you punish your child and they do everything right for the next two days?” Postecoglou had said of Bissouma’s return.
The Mali international made the most of his reprieve in the 14th minute, lashing home from the edge of the area for his first league goal for Tottenham in his 52nd appearance.
Yves Bissouma of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with team mate Son Heung-Min (L) after scoring their first goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Everton FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on August 24, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Son Heung-min doubled Tottenham’s lead in the 25th minute, forcing Jordan Pickford into an embarrassing mistake as the Everton ‘keeper was robbed by the South Korean for a simple finish.
Cristian Romero headed Tottenham’s third in the 71st minute. Son bagged his second with a clinical finish six minutes later.
West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui earned the first win of his reign as second-half goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen sealed a 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace.
Alex Iwobi’s 70th-minute goal clinched Fulham’s 2-1 win against Leicester at Craven Cottage, after Emile Smith Rowe’s first-half opener for the hosts was cancelled out by Wout Faes.
Nottingham Forest won 1-0 at Southampton thanks to Morgan Gibbs-White’s 70th-minute strike.
France and the Netherlands edged towards the last 16 of Euro 2024 after a 0-0 draw in Leipzig that failed to catch fire in the absence of Kylian Mbappe.
The French captain sat out the whole match from the bench after breaking his nose in France’s opening 1-0 win over Austria just four days ago.
Xavi Simons had a goal controversially ruled out for the Dutch, while Antoine Griezmann wasted two glorious chances for France.
A share of the spoils leaves the sides level on four points at the top of Group D, one ahead of Austria who beat Poland 3-1 earlier on Friday.
France take on the Poles, while the Netherlands face Austria in the final games of the section on Tuesday.
Roared on by an orange wall around two-thirds of the Leipzig Stadium, the Dutch nearly pounced on any French uncertainty within a minute.
The explosive pace of Jeremie Frimpong took him clear on goal but the Bayer Leverkusen man could not produce a clean finish and Mike Maignan turned his shot behind.
Without their captain and talisman Mbappe, the 2022 World Cup finalists turned to Griezmann for inspiration.
The stand-in skipper stung the palms of Bart Verbruggen from distance. But the Atletico Madrid forward had a moment to forget with the biggest chance to open the scoring before half-time.
An intricate move played in Adrien Rabiot but when he decided to pass rather than shoot, Griezmann failed to connect on his weaker right foot.
Antoine Griezmann missed a golden chance for France in the second half. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)Source: AFP
At the other end, Maignan had to produce another fine save low to his left to turn Cody Gakpo’s drive behind.
France had the better chances in the second period.
Marcus Thuram fizzed a shot just wide from the edge of the area before Tchouameni could not keep a header down.
The normally reliable Griezmann was guilty of another big miss when his weak effort was turned behind by Verbruggen with the goal gaping.
But the major talking point of the first goalless draw of the tournament saw the Dutch denied a winner.
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Simons fired in on the rebound after Maignan saved from Memphis Depay 18 minutes from time.
The goal was ruled out by the officials on the field for offside as Denzel Dumfries was adjudged to be interfering with Maignan’s ability to stop the shot.
After a lengthy VAR check, which has been a welcome rarity at the tournament so far, the offside was confirmed and France handed a reprieve.
Deschamps rejected the chance to risk Mbappe for the closing stages as he instead sent on Olivier Giroud and Kingsley Coman in search of a winner.
But both sides settled for a point that is already likely enough to secure their passage to the knockout rounds thanks to the safety net that sees the four best third-placed finishers advance.
Xavi Simons was left crushed after his goal was ruled out. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
LEWANDOWSKI RETURN NOT ENOUGH AS WORLD NO.26 ON BRINK
Austria claimed a convincing 3-1 win over Poland in Berlin on Friday to take a step towards the Euro 2024 knockout rounds.
Robert Lewandowski returned from a thigh injury as a substitute for Poland, now on the brink of elimination from Group D after two defeats, but could not help his team make inroads against Ralf Rangnick’s sturdy side.
Poland striker Krzysztof Piatek levelled Gernot Trauner’s opener, but Christoph Baumgartner and Marko Arnautovic’s second-half goals earned Austria three vital points.
With Austria and Poland both bordering host nation Germany it was no surprise to see a sold-out stadium and a raucous crowd at the Olympiastadion, with both teams defeated in their opening matches and desperate for victory.
Poland supporters roared when captain and all-time top scorer Lewandowski appeared on the big screen but he was only fit to start on the bench.
Austria dominated the opening stages and Trauner powered home a header at the near post from the enterprising Phillipp Mwene’s cross.
Robert Lewandowski’s return was not enough to inspire Poland to victory. (Photo by Ronny HARTMANN / AFP)Source: AFP
Piatek levelled for Poland after half an hour, staying calm in the box when a rebound fell his way and slotting into the bottom corner.
With the game level approaching the hour mark, Poland coach Michal Probierz sent on Lewandowski, who took the captain’s armband.
Showing little concern about his injury, the forward charged around and quickly picked up a booking for catching Philipp Lienhart with his arm.
Austria regained the lead after 67 minutes when Arnautovic cleverly stepped over a pass received by Baumgartner, who stroked into the bottom corner.
Baumgartner celebrated wildly with Rangnick and gave the former interim Manchester United coach credit.
“He supports me every day and gave me a lot of strength at half-time,” explained the midfielder.
“He talked to me for three or four minutes, so the thanks went to him too.” Veteran captain Arnautovic, 35, sealed the win with a late penalty after Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny felled Marcel Sabitzer.
Marko Arnautovic completed Austria’s rout of Poland. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
STAR’S LATE HEROICS SAVES WAR-TORN NATION
Roman Yaremchuk came off the bench to hit the winner in the 80th minute for Ukraine in Dusseldorf, completing a 2-1 comeback against Slovakia and earning the team congratulations from the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky.
After a bruising 3-0 defeat by Romania in their first outing, this time Ukraine showed spirit to fight back with Mykola Shaparenko levelling early in the second half following Ivan Schranz’s early opener.
With war ongoing in their homeland Ukraine players emerged with their country’s flag draped over their shoulders.
Slovakia shares a border with Ukraine but the country’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico is an opponent of military aid to the Ukrainians.
“The players showed the spirit of Ukraine on the pitch and deserved the win,” said their coach Serhiy Rebrov, whose team are playing at a first major tournament since Russian forces invaded in 2022.
Zelensky said “Way to go guys!” in a message on social media network X as he celebrated their triumph, which he believes showed his country can “take a punch and overcome obstacles”.
Tottenham has moved back into the Premier League’s top four and bolstered its Champions League hopes with a chaotic 3-2 comeback win over Brentford on Thursday morning.
Ange Postecoglou helped mastermind the victory, with a double change at halftime and key message seeing Spurs put missed opportunities behind them to overcome a 1-0 deficit.
Spurs surged home. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“It was just one of them games,” Brennan Johnson, who scored one of Tottenham’s three second-half goals, told TNT Sports at fulltime.
“The manager said before, ‘Once we score one we’ll score two and we’ll score three’. He said them exact words and as soon as we scored that first goal so early I felt like we had to keep the momentum going.
“I just knew I had to be there because that’s what the manager demands of our wingers to get to the back-post and when it fell to me I was happy.
“There’s no secret that recently I haven’t been at my best. I think in those situations I haven’t been in the right positions, so today I made sure I had to be.”
Brentford got the ball in the back of the net first in Thursday’s game, although a look from the VAR confirmed it was offside and no goal for the visitors after Mads Roerslev finished well across Guglielmo Vicario.
Mathias Jensen, who played it in for Roerslev, was the player flagged for offside in the lead-up.
Tottenham had a few chances of its own undone by offside calls in the early stages of the game too, with Timo Werner threatening down the left from the opening minute as James Maddison found him only for the flag to be raised.
Only a few minutes later Oliver Skipp had a shot blocked before finding Dejan Kulusevski, who had a chance to get a shot at goal but was ruled offside anyway.
It was a positive start for Postecoglou’s men in that sense, although they too were also looking vulnerable in defence and eventually conceded as Neal Maupay put the visitors ahead in the 15th minute.
It came on the counter after a misdirected pass in the middle of the field from Destiny Udogie, with Ivan Toney racing away with the ball and while his initial shot was deflected by Vicario his teammate Maupay was in position to hit it home.
The Frenchman then stirred up Maddison by mimicking his darts celebration.
Guardiola weighs in on Barca pressure | 01:06
It was just the second time this season Tottenham trailed 1-0 in a home Premier League game, having previously chased down Sheffield in a 2-1 comeback win last year.
Tottenham almost hit back immediately twice through Werner, who didn’t quite get a clean strike on the ball but it still looked a chance of creeping in before a diving Mark Flekken sent it out.
Werner then popped up on the ensuing corner as he headed it wide.
The near misses kept coming as Richarlison whipped a curling shot that just went wide of the posts in the 25th minute, adding to the frustration for Spurs.
Brentford had a close call of its own minutes later and then again in the 36th minute as Nathan Collins nearly headed it home before a stunning backheel from Ethan Pinnock almost doubled Tottenham’s lead, just going wide.
There were protests from Brentford too on that play, claiming that Collins had been fouled in the lead-up but a look from VAR did not produce a penalty.
While Brentford may have felt aggrieved by that call the visitors certainly weren’t complaining minutes later when Richarlison put the ball in the back of the net, only to have Tottenham’s opening goal wiped off the board for a foul on Collins, who took quite the theatrical tumble to sell the contact.
It left Tottenham trailing 1-0 at halftime and Postecoglou shaking his head on the sidelines, having failed to score despite numerous close calls in the opening half.
There were challenges early for Ange Postecoglou. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)Source: AFP
In response Postecoglou made immediate changes entering the second half, bringing in Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Johnson with Oliver Skipp and Rodrigo Bentancur heading back to the bench.
“That double change surely underlines Postecoglou’s unhappiness with the first half performance from his side. Both central midfielders hooked,” Sky Sports’ Peter Smith said at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Whether it was those changes or a halftime speech from Postecoglou or even a combination of both, something sparked Spurs to life as Udogie scored in the 48th minute to level the game.
In the space of 73 seconds it was two goals as Tottenham went back-to-back in rapid fashion, with Werner turning creator as he perfectly crossed the ball to Johnson, who had an immediate impact after Postecoglou’s halftime change.
Richarlison, having sent a shot firing over the goal moments earlier, then made it three straight for Spurs in the 56th minute as he got one back for teammate Maddison, flashing the darts celebration in response to Maupay’s mocking act.
Brennan Johnson celebrates. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesRicharlison got in on the fun. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Maddison had played a key role in that goal too, with his initial shot at goal blocked before it fell to Richarlison, who made no mistake this time around.
Tottenham almost made it four as Pedro Porro sent a shot over the crossbar, while Toney missed two big chances too in the next five minutes with Brentford threatening to hit back.
Toney eventually made up for it after another poor mistake from Udogie, who tried to pass the ball back to keeper Vicario despite Toney being in between the pair.
Brentford’s star striker capitalised to reduce the deficit to 3-2 and the visitors almost equalised at the death, with Vicario tipping a Shandon Baptiste volley as a desperate Spurs side hung on for the win.
The victory moved Tottenham up into fourth position ahead of Aston Villa, who dropped a game against Newcastle on Wednesday.
Manchester United edged closer to a return to the Champions League next season with a 2-0 win over Wolves as Southampton were relegated from the Premier League.
Newcastle remain ahead of United on goal difference in third after being held 2-2 in a pulsating game as Sam Allardyce picked up his first point as Leeds manager.
United have stumbled towards a top-four finish in recent weeks after an exhausting season that will stretch to 62 games.
Erik ten Hag’s men had won just two of their previous eight games from open play in all competitions.
Leicester fall back into relegation zone | 01:01
But they shrugged off the absence of Marcus Rashford due to injury for a vital three points.
“We had to bounce back,” said Ten Hag.
“We had two big defeats (in their previous two games), individual mistakes, we had no energy and played slow. Today we had to win and we did it.”
Wolves were welcome visitors at Old Trafford as the Premier League’s lowest scorers rarely troubled the under-fire David de Gea.
Scoring goals has also been a problem for the Red Devils of late but Antony squared for Anthony Martial to slam home on 32 minutes.
Alejandro Garnacho then came off the bench to secure the points deep into stoppage time.
Newcastle and Manchester United are now four points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool with three games to go.
It was an important win for Manchester United. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)Source: AFP
There was far more action at Elland Road where Leeds got a point but did not do enough to move out of the relegation zone.
Luke Ayling gave Allardyce’s men a flying start, but they shot themselves in the foot from the penalty spot at both ends.
Firstly, Patrick Bamford saw his spot-kick saved by Nick Pope. Three minutes later, Newcastle levelled through Callum Wilson after Alexander Isak was fouled inside the area.
Wilson converted his second penalty midway through the second half when Junior Firpo handled inside his own box.
Rasmus Kristensen’s deflected effort brought Leeds level again 11 minutes from time.
But they were forced to see out stoppage time with 10 men after Firpo was shown his second yellow card.
“We missed a penalty, gave two away and drew 2-2,” said Allardyce.
“I think we’d be saying what a great three points if we scored that penalty for 2-0.”
Leeds close to within one point of safety, but that gap could grow if Everton shock leaders Manchester City on Sunday.
WARNING SIGNS AND GREATEST ‘SHAME’ AS SOUTHAMPTON RELEGATED
Elsewhere, Southampton were relegated from the Premier League after a 2-0 defeat against Fulham capped a nightmare season for the club rooted to the bottom of the table.
Second-half goals from Carlos Vinicius and Aleksandar Mitrovic condemned Southampton to the drop at St Mary’s.
Ruben Selles’ side are without a win in their last 11 games and their plunge into the Championship was confirmed with two matches still to play.
The Saints will return to the second tier for the first time in 11 years.
“It’s a tough day for everybody, the performance on the pitch was not what we expect it to be and we were not good enough today. That’s why we are in this situation,” Selles said.
“If we were in our standards, we would not be talking about this situation right now. We need to face it like that.
“I don’t think there is one point where you can say that is exactly the point where it happened.
“We need to evaluate and be sure that when the club starts the next season those standards are on point.”
It was disappointment for Southampton. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Southampton spent most of the season in the bottom three and Selles was unable to save them from the drop after replacing the sacked Nathan Jones in February.
Jones had lasted just 14 games as successor to Ralph Hasenhuttl, who was dismissed in November after four years in charge.
“I take all the responsibility for the last three months, that’s my responsibility,” Selles said.
“I should be able to win more football matches. I should be able to have a team that competes better.”
The warning signs were there for a while for Southampton, who finished a lowly 15th in the previous two seasons and suffered a 9-0 thrashing at Manchester United in February 2021.
Southampton are the first team to be relegated from the Premier League this season.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a noted Southampton fan, was at St Mary’s to witness the last rites on Southampton’s painful campaign.
With just two home league wins this term, many Southampton fans had clearly accepted their fate before their most recent game judging by the swathes of empty red seats in several sections of the stadium.
A general view of the inside of the stadium, as empty seats can be seen, during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Fulham FC. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
With Fulham in complete control, even more empty spaces opened up as supporters trudged away before the final whistle put Southampton out of their misery.
Boos and chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” greeted confirmation of Southampton’s descent into the Championship as fans contemplated trips to Millwall, Plymouth and Rotherham instead of Anfield, Old Trafford and the Etihad Stadium.
“It has been coming. We knew we were in a difficult position,” Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse said.
“We need to go away individually and as a club and assess if we’ve done everything we possibly could. I don’t think we have and that is a shame.
“Have decisions been right? Have we done everything we could on a pitch? I think we should perform at a better level than we have done.
“From the first day of the season until now you can tell the standards have slipped.”
FOREST DRAW WITH CHELSEA IN THRILLER, VILLA TOPPLE TOTTENHAM
Nottingham Forest remain three points clear of the relegation zone after their own four-goal thriller at Chelsea ended 2-2.
Taiwo Awoniyi’s bullet header opened the scoring for the visitors. Raheem Sterling’s quickfire double turned the game around in seven second-half minutes.
But Awoniyi had the final say as he headed in once more for his fourth goal in a week that could prove vital to keeping Forest up on their return to the top-flight for the first time in 23 years.
Forest jump clear of relegation zone | 00:58
In the battle for a place in the Europa League next season, Aston Villa beat Tottenham 2-1 to move level on points with Spurs in sixth.
Jacob Ramsey gave Unai Emery’s men an early lead and they were cruising to victory when Douglas Luiz curled home a free-kick 18 minutes from time.
Harry Kane’s late penalty halved Tottenham’s arrears, but their hopes of Champions League football next season are now mathematically over.
Eberechi Eze scored twice as Crystal Palace continued their revival under Roy Hodgson with a 2-0 win over Bournemouth.
