BBC Sounds

Michael Grant, Scottish football correspondent at The Times, speaking to the Football Daily podcast: "They didn't look convincing in the first half of the season, they filled a lot of points with draws. It was not the same irresistible Celtic as in Brendan Rodgers' first spell in charge.

"There was a collective hangover from the loss of Ange Postecoglou, they lost Jota and Aaron Mooy, there were injury issues as well. Rodgers maintained that when everyone was fit, when the pitches got better, the football would return and the form and results would return. He has been vindicated in that."

Celtic

Manager Brendan Rodgers says he "never had any doubts" about himself or Celtic’s title credentials after they sealed their 12th Scottish Premiership triumph in the last 13 seasons.

Questions have been asked of Rodgers, who returned to the club under a cloud of controversy, at times this season.

But the Celtic boss said his side "stayed focused" to hold off a Rangers side who are six points back with one game left.

"There was a lot of pressure on the players, but you only need to look at the results and the performances to see how they coped," Rodgers told BBC Scotland.

"It means a lot [for me]. There were question marks over me: Was I good enough to be here? Could I manage this team? Could I get them to play the level of football expected?

"If you doubt it can be an issue for you, but I never had any doubts this season. As the season has gone on we've got better and better.

"I'm so pleased for the supporters, over these last few months we've all come together."

For a while on Tuesday, it looked like Celtic would not have to leave the house to clinch the Scottish Premiership title for a third consecutive season.

Rangers were two down to Dundee. That they came back to win 5-2 only bought them a 24-hour reprieve.

Celtic's thumping win at Kilmarnock officially secured the championship flag for Brendan Rodgers' side.

But, in reality, other matches played a far more significant role in deciding who would lift the trophy. Matches such as these...

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer at Rugby Park

At the end, as Celtic fans serenaded their champions and Kilmarnock supporters stood and applauded players who have given them so much this season, Brendan Rodgers and his captain Callum McGregor were locked in a hug on the sideline.

They had a little chat, another embrace, and then went away to join the party.

Or the warm-up to the party, which will take place in earnest at the weekend when Celtic will celebrate in their own place in front of 60,000 of their own people.

On the artificial surface of Rugby Park we saw the real thing from Celtic, certainly in a devastating first half when they scored three and might have had five.

It was the kind of thunder on title-winning night that was reminiscent of the best of the Ange Postecoglou years, while holding similarities to the pick of Rodgers in his invincible pomp in 2016-17.

Click here for more from Tom on Celtic's title-clinching win at Kilmarnock.

Chelsea

Midfielder Erin Cuthbert said Chelsea "will be leaving nothing on the pitch" when they face Manchester United on the final day as they look to retain the Women's Super League title.

Wednesday's 1-0 victory over Tottenham put the Blues in the driving seat heading into Saturday, sitting top of the table above Manchester City on goal difference.

Emma Hayes' side play their season finale at Old Trafford, while City are also away at Aston Villa (both 15:00 BST).

When asked if her Chelsea team-mates are up for the fight, Cuthbert said: "I'll make sure we do in the dressing room come Saturday.

"We will be leaving nothing on the pitch, we will be giving everything and no matter what the result is, at least we can look each other in the eye and say we gave everything."

Image source, Reuters

Chelsea's 1-0 win over Tottenham means they are now level with Manchester City on points but above them on goal difference as they are two goals better off.

City will aim to wipe out that deficit as they visit Aston Villa on Saturday while Chelsea are away to Manchester United (both 15:00 BST).

Image source, .

Celtic may have secured the Scottish Premiership by thumping Kilmarnock 5-0 last night, but the title race in the Premier League and Women's Super League will go down to the final day.

Chelsea beat Tottenham 1-0 last night to replace Manchester City at the top of the table on goal difference.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

If Manchester United better Newcastle's result on the final day, they will assure themselves of a European place next season ahead of the FA Cup final.

It is an achievement of sorts given their terrible recent form and manager Erik ten Hag and his players were given a warm reception at Old Trafford last night as they embarked on their lap of appreciation.

But the Manchester United boss bristled when he was asked if he felt pride at the outcome.

"After the season we have had so far, I don’t talk about pride," he said.

"It has been a very difficult season for us but we are very pleased with the attitude of the fans.

"We are all disappointed with the season but still we can win something."

United play Manchester City at Wembley on 25 May.

The Daily Express

Finally from today's newspapers, the Express says how Manchester United beat Newcastle to keep alive their chances of earning European qualification through their league finish.

A top-seven spot would be enough and United are currently eighth, behind Newcastle on goal difference with one game left.

Image source, Daily Express

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

As with so many narratives with Manchester United this season, this past couple of games has thrown up two different ones over Amad Diallo and Sofyan Amrabat.

The pair have both had periods out injured like most of their team-mates but, Diallo's last-gasp FA Cup winner apart, neither has done much to think they are worthy of a place at a club that should be competing for honours.

It almost seemed like an act of desperation when Erik ten Hag selected the pair for the home defeat by Arsenal but they were two of United's better performers.

Against Newcastle, Ten Hag was indebted to them. First Amrabat denied Alexander Isak, who looked like putting the visitors ahead given they had a three-on-one counter, then Diallo blasted United in front with a crisp half-volley from the edge of the area.

So is it a gamble that paid off or proof Ten Hag had been wrong to overlook them?

Either way, the Dutchman's FA Cup final selection is looking very interesting.

Image source, Getty Images

The Daily Telegraph

Anything other than a win for Manchester United against Newcastle would have condemned the Red Devils to their lowest league finish in 34 years.

But Rasmus Hojlund's goal proved the difference to keep Erik ten Hag’s side in the hunt for a top-seven finish.

Image source, Daily Telegraph

The I

The VAR vote and Manchester United's win are feature in the i, along with Wednesday's story on brain injury association Headway saying it was "hard to fathom" why Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson was not substituted immediately after suffering a head injury in Tuesday's win at Tottenham.

Image source, the i

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Even though his side were on the wrong end of what he felt was a poor decision not to get a penalty for a foul on Anthony Gordon at Old Trafford last night, apart from offsides, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe would be glad to see on-field officials making decisions.

Wolves have submitted a resolution that could see VAR scrapped completely as the Premier League's annual meeting in Harrogate on 6 June.

Howe was asked for his thoughts after last night's defeat to Manchester United.

"I was watching it back and trying to see why Anthony went down and when you look it is an absolute stonewall penalty," he said.

"But I am the same as I have always been. Apart from offsides, I like the power being with the referee even if it doesn't go our way."

Newcastle United

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said: "I thought it was a penalty. I thought that’s what VAR was good at.

“I have always been in an era where the referee makes a decision and I back it. I would possibly keep [VAR] with offsides, but I want more power with referees."

Image source, Reuters

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Newcastle forward Anthony Gordon said he "doesn't understand the point" of having video assistant referees (VAR) in football.

Gordon was denied a first-half penalty despite appearing to be caught by Manchester United's Sofyan Amrabat in Newcastle's 3-2 loss at Old Trafford.

With Newcastle 1-0 behind at the time, on-field referee Rob Jones did not give a spot-kick and was then not told to review the incident by VAR official Jarred Gillett.

"I have watched it back and it is a clear penalty," said Gordon. "[Amrabat] goes down my Achilles and pushes me in the back. I knew straight away, that's why I didn't appeal. I waited for the VAR to check, I told my team-mates 'it was a clear penalty'.

"I don't mind the referee getting it wrong on the pitch, but I don't understand the point of VAR. Either get rid of it or get better. It's that simple, there's too many mistakes."

The Sun

Today's Sun has a similar back page but leads on Manchester United's win over Newcastle, which coincidentally happened to feature another big VAR moment.

Image source, Sun

The Daily Star

That story features on the back of today's Star, along with a picture of Amad Diallo celebrating after putting Manchester United 2-1 up in Wednesday's win over Newcastle.

Image source, Daily Star

Tom Mallows
BBC Sport

Premier League clubs will vote on whether to scrap video assistant referees (VAR) from next season at their annual general meeting next month.

Wolves have formally submitted a resolution to the Premier League which will trigger a vote when the 20 member clubs meet in Harrogate on 6 June.

The club said VAR was introduced "in good faith" but has led to "numerous unintended negative consequences that are damaging the relationship between fans and football".

VAR was introduced in 2019 to help support on-field officials with key match decisions, but there have been a number of controversial incidents involving the technology this season.

"The price we are paying for a small increase in accuracy is at odds with the spirit of our game," read a Wolves statement.

The Premier League said it "acknowledged the concerns" about VAR but "fully supports" the technology and will continue to work with referees' body PGMOL to make improvements.

Any rule changes need a two-thirds majority - 14 of of the 20 clubs - to vote in favour.

Click here for more from Tom.

Now before we look at some more of today's papers, we'll give you a story that dropped on Wednesday and dominates most of today's back pages...

Click below to watch just how Celtic turned on the style to secure their 12th Scottish title in 13 seasons.