Arsenal, City maintain pressure
Title contenders win tricky fixtures as Premier League race tightens up
Over to you, Liverpool. Arsenal and Manchester City did their bit in the latest chapter of the English Premier League’s tight title race, negotiating potentially tricky away matches yesterday to maintain unbeaten streaks in the competition stretching back to December.
After City overcame an early scare to overwhelm Crystal Palace 4-2 largely on the back of Kevin De Bruyne’s masterful performance, Arsenal won at Brighton 3-0 thanks to goals from the returning Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard.
That left Arsenal, City and Liverpool separated by one point, with Arsenal in the lead and City a point back in third, behind Liverpool on goal difference.
Liverpool played overnight and it was one of the toughest of their runin — at fierce rivals Manchester United. Liverpool lost at United in the FA Cup last month.
City and Arsenal must now turn their attention to the Champions League, as they face difficult games against Real Madrid away and Bayern Munich at home respectively on Wednesday.
City head to the Spanish capital having rediscovered their scoring form and with the team’s undefeated run in all competitions now beyond four months.
Importantly for City, Erling Haaland is back among the goals. And De Bruyne is back scoring screamers.
City recovered from conceding in the third minute to cruise to victory at Selhurst Park, with De Bruyne equalising with a curling shot into the top corner that was so exquisite, Pep Guardiola blew kisses to the Belgium playmaker.
After Rico Lewis put City ahead in the 47th minute, Haaland scored his first goal in four games for City to earn De Bruyne his latest assist. De Bruyne then buried a left-footed piledriver for his second goal to finish off Palace.
“Kevin won the game,” Guardiola said. “Without Kevin, maybe we would not be able to win, so when we talk about tactics, about managers, having players like Kevin in these kinds of games, it’s easy.
“The numbers, the presence, the consistency have been amazing. He’s one of the best players in the history of Manchester City.”
City struggled to create chances in a 0-0 draw against Arsenal last week that proved a setback in their attempt to win the league for a fourth straight season — a feat never achieved in the English league’s 135-year history.
Since then, City have beaten Aston Villa 4-1 and won at Palace.
Arsenal, meanwhile, haven’t lost in the league since New Year’s Day amid a three-game losing streak which threatened to rock their campaign.
Now, Mikel Arteta’s team is looking rock solid, with the win at Amex Stadium making it four straight clean sheets in all competitions.
Saka was declared fit after missing the midweek win over Luton and opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute after Gabriel Jesus was adjudged to have been tripped. Saka has converted all five of his penalties this season and has 14 goals in the league, tying his careerbest haul.
Havertz tapped in Jorginho’s cross in the 62nd, then played in Trossard to run through and chip the keeper to score against his former club.
Villa wobble
Villa are stumbling in their bid to secure the fourth guaranteed spot for Champions League qualification.
With a 3-3 draw at home to Brentford, fourth-placed Villa have won just one of their last five league games and were just three points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, who hosted Nottingham Forest overnight.
The league could yet have five entrants for next season’s Champions League, however, depending on how English clubs perform in the European competitions this campaign.
Ollie Watkins scored two goals for Villa, who were 2-0 up before conceding three goals in a nine-minute span in the second half. Watkins’ second goal made it 3-3 in the 80th minute.
European spots
Newcastle and West Ham claimed wins as they hunt qualification for next season’s Europa League.
Bruno Guimaraes’ second-half goal earned Newcastle a 1-0 victory at Fulham and West Ham came from behind to beat Wolverhampton 2-1 thanks to goals by Lucas Paqueta and James Ward-Prowse.
West Ham are seventh, tied on points with Manchester United in sixth. Newcastle are a point and place further back.
Relegation battle
Everton ended their 13-game winless run by beating Burnley 1-0 to boost their fight to avoid relegation.
Everton are still just four points above the relegation zone because third-from-bottom Luton also won, 2-1 at home to Bournemouth thanks to Carlton Morris’ 90th-minute goal.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored Everton’s winner by charging down a clearance from Burnley keeper Arijanet Muric and seeing the ball loop into an unguarded net.
Everton’s most recent win had been against Burnley on December 17 at Turf Moor.