ePL Invitational: Trent Alexander-Arnold sets up Raheem Sterling showdown on finals day
Follow Saturday's action, live on YouTube, Sky Sports Premier League and via our live blog as a winner will be crowned
Last Updated: 25/04/20 4:17pm
Trent Alexander-Arnold will play Raheem Sterling in the ePL Invitational semi-finals as the final four were confirmed for Saturday's finals day, live on Sky Sports.
On the fourth day of the tournament, which provides the unique opportunity to see Premier League players put their FIFA 20 skills to the test against one another on the big stage, the final four players booked their spots in the semi-finals to leave a mouthwatering finals day on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, where Alexander-Arnold faces Sterling and Diogo Jota takes on Dwight McNeil.
Trent Alexander-Arnold 4-1 Christian Atsu
2:14 There isn't a more relaxed-looking FIFA player in this tournament than Alexander-Arnold judging by his set-up in his home gaming zone. Well, he got shocked into action by the Newcastle man in the early stages when falling behind to a quick counter-attack.
An upset looked on the cards but two goals before the break settled the Liverpool full-back down and he looked a classy customer when in the lead, controlling the play nicely and not allowing Atsu many opportunities to break.
Diogo Jota 5-2 Lys Mousset
3:40 This looked a hard one to call pre-match with both players bringing in similar form lines in beating Todd Cantwell in recent weeks and it was a cagey opening period. However, once Jota got the opening goal, both players relaxed and it turned into a game full of goals. Jota, who was put off by his dog barking just before half-time, scored a decisive goal to make it 3-1 when Mousset's defender inexplicably controlled the ball into his own net. From there, the Wolves man was a worthy winner.
Andre Gomes 2-4 Raheem Sterling
2:35 This really begs the question: how bad must Reece James be at FIFA? Gomes - fresh from winning 8-0 against the Chelsea man in the last 16 - came into this as a hot favourite but Sterling got his tactics spot on to stop his opponents' slick passing style into his frontman.
Sterling played three central defenders to thwart Gomes' play and carried a big threat in the final third, pulling away with two classy finishes late on. Next up? England team-mate and good friend Alexander-Arnold and Sterling has already started the trash-talking.
He said: "I know how he plays - I'm looking forward to it. I've played against him for the national team.
"He wins every time I play on the TV but when I've got this set up, he's not beating me.
"It will be a good game but I'm backing myself."
0:44 Neal Maupay 0-1 Dwight McNeil
1:36 This was the game that never looked likely to end as it took over 140 minutes of FIFA play to find a winner with the Burnley man finally breaking through to score the tournament's first 'Golden Goal' winner. It was a surprise victory, too, with Maupay coming into the game having dispatched John McGinn and Philip Billing with great authority.
However, McNeil is a savvy gamer with great strategy and managed to defend brilliantly against Maupay's prowling style to book a date with Jota on Saturday.
How does the draw look?
What did we learn?
Sky Bet odds compiler and FIFA20 freak Robert Carr writes:
Another day, another tournament favourite crashing out of the ePremier League Invitational as the betting markets took another twist. McNeil and Sterling were both friendless in the outright market this morning, but both now find themselves in the televised semi-finals on Saturday afternoon.
Sterling overturned the well-fancied Gomes, fresh from his 8-0 demolition of James, with match odds of 10/3 clearly underestimating his FIFA expertise.
However, the biggest shock of the day came for Seagulls' striker Maupay, as McNeil firmly embraced Sean Dyche's Burnley way with a dogged defensive display, holding his opponent to a 0-0 draw before a sucker punch of a Golden Goal saw him off his chair in celebration.
With numbers crunched and semi-finalists confirmed, we quote Alexander-Arnold and Jota as strong early favourites to meet in the final, with punters keeping the Wolves forward firmly on side throughout the day to see him now odds-on to win the tournament at 4/5.
McNeil (8/1 with Sky Bet) and Sterling (5/1 with Sky Bet) have proved more than capable of an upset today though, and will no doubt attract interest at the bigger prices.
Saturday's action: It's finals day, live on Sky Sports!
Saturday April 25
- Trent Alexander-Arnold vs Raheem Sterling
- Diogo Jota vs Dwight McNeil
- Winners will meet in the final
Fans can watch all the action on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 3pm and, like throughout the week, on the Premier League website, app, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter channels; Sky Sports YouTube and Twitch channels as well on the Football Daily YouTube channel.
Sky's coverage will be hosted by Saturday Social's Adam Smith and Joe Thomlinson who will be joined by influencer Harry Pinero.
