Football tips for 3 May 2026: analysis of 4 promising matches including the Man United vs Liverpool showdown, today's football schedule, and fixtures.
On 3 May 2026, the highlight is the fierce rivalry match between Manchester United and Liverpool. There are also exciting fixtures from the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, and Italian Serie A to follow. Here is the analysis and predictions for the 4 notable matches.
- English Premier League / Kickoff at 21:30 GMT+7
The "Red Devils" will secure a Champions League spot outright if they avoid defeat. After losing 1-2 at home to Leeds United, they bounced back with wins over Chelsea 1-0 and Brentford 2-1. Michael Carrick has collected 29 points from 13 games in charge, more than any other Premier League manager in the same period. Captain Bruno Fernandes needs just two more assists to break the Premier League single-season record. Lisandro Martinez remains suspended, but Matheus Cunha and Luke Shaw are expected to be fit to start alongside Casemiro.
The "Reds" will also guarantee Champions League football if they beat Manchester United and Bournemouth fail to win against Crystal Palace. Liverpool have won their last three matches and overtaken Aston Villa on goal difference. However, their away record against top three teams is poor, with only 1 win, 7 draws, and 4 losses in their last 12 visits. They lost the first 'Red Devils' clash 1-2 at home but won 3-0 at Old Trafford last season. Currently, they have 10 players injured, including Mohamed Salah, Alisson, and recently Alexander Isak. At best, they may settle for a draw.
Prediction Manchester United likely to repeat victories home and away.
- English Premier League / Kickoff at 01:00 GMT+7
After going unbeaten in six matches across all competitions (5 wins, 1 draw), "The Villans" lost their last two games: a league defeat to Fulham and a 0-1 loss in the Europa League semi-final first leg against Forest, with the second leg upcoming. Aston Villa will qualify for the Champions League if they beat Spurs and Bournemouth fails to win against Crystal Palace. Their home form remains strong with four straight wins, but they will be without Amadou Onana due to injury. The attack is led by Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers, and Jadon Sancho.
"The Spurs" ended a 15-game league winless streak in 2026 by beating Wolves 1-0 away but remain just two points above the relegation zone. Their fate is now in their hands after West Ham lost 0-3 to Brentford. Tottenham's away record is decent, with 23 points from 17 games (6 wins, 5 draws). Unfortunately, Xavi Simons tore his ACL and is out for the season. They have 10 injured players including Dominic Solanke and Cristian Romero. If Aston Villa focus on the Europa League, Spurs have a chance to snatch a point.
Prediction Spurs could surprise with an away draw.
- Spanish La Liga / Kickoff at 02:00 GMT+7
Real Madrid may lose their title hopes if they fail to beat Espanyol before facing Barcelona in El Clasico next week. They have won only 1, drawn 2, and lost 3 in their last 6 matches across all competitions. In La Liga, they have won just once, drawn twice, and lost once in their last 4 games. Coach Alvaro Arbeloa's side must find form quickly. However, Kylian Mbappe is sidelined with a hamstring injury, adding to seven other absentees including Thibaut Courtois, Arda Guler, and Aurelien Tchouameni. The attack is likely to feature Gonzalo Garcia and Vinicius Junior.
Espanyol continue to struggle and have not won a league match in 16 attempts since the start of 2026 (10 losses, 6 draws). Although they are still theoretically in contention for a UEFA Conference League spot, trailing 6th place Getafe by 5 points. They lost the first leg 0-2 away to Real Madrid but won 1-0 at home last season. The team is missing only Pol Lozano (suspended) and long-term injured Xavi Puedo. Their attack is led by Pere Milla and Kike Garcia, each with 6 goals, but they may struggle to contain Real Madrid.
Prediction Real Madrid expected to narrowly win.
- Italian Serie A / Kickoff at 01:45 GMT+7
Inter Milan need just one more point to clinch their 21st league title. Although they dropped points in a 2-2 draw with Torino last week after four straight wins, their attack remains strong. Christian Kou scored 80 league goals this season, second only to Bayern Munich and Barcelona in Europe's top five leagues. Inter have been unbeaten at home against Parma since 2018. They are expected to have captain and striker Lautaro Martinez and key defender Alessandro Bastoni return from injury to join Federico Di Marco, who has already provided 17 assists.
Parma have secured safety after consecutive 1-0 wins over Udinese and Pisa, making them unbeaten in their last four matches (2 wins, 2 draws). In their last 11 league games, they have lost only twice (5 wins, 4 draws). Their defense has been surprisingly solid with 12 clean sheets in 34 matches, but their attack has scored just 25 goals, better than only two other teams (Lecce 24, Verona 23). Despite only two injuries and top scorer Mateo Pellegrino with 8 goals, they are outmatched by Inter Milan.
Prediction Inter Milan to comfortably take 3 points and secure the title.