Reds on top, two up on Arsenal

PREMIER LEAGUE

Liverpool leads the way in the race for the Premier League title after Manchester City and Arsenal cancelled each other out Sunday.

A 2-1 comeback win against Brighton left Jurgen Klopp’s team looking down on its rivals — two points ahead of second-place Arsenal and three clear of City in third with nine games to go.

“It is a great situation where the boys brought us,” said Klopp, in search of a second league title before he steps down at the end of the season.

There is still some way to go in the three-way fight, but Mohamed Salah’s second-half winner at Anfield could be crucial. Even City manager Pep Guardiola admitted it’s in Liverpool’s hands now. “Always who is first is favourites,” he said. “Second is Arsenal and we are third.”

The Liverpool win came before City and Arsenal played to a 0-0 draw at Etihad Stadium. The clash between last season’s top two had been highly anticipated but failed to live up to the pre-match hype, with few scoring chances.

But it was the latest evidence of Arsenal’s growing title credentials after the Londoners fell away at the end of last season. They had lost on their previous eight visits to City — including a 4-1 defeat last year that proved costly in the title race.

Mikel Arteta’s team has taken four points off the defending champions this year, as well as winning the Community Shield against City in August. But the Arsenal manager said he was still looking for more from his players to prove they are ready to end Guardiola’s dominance with City.

“(It shows) that we are improving and that we are competing better and we are understanding how you have to play these games, but there are other steps to be made to win the championship. You have to come here and you have to win,” Arteta said.

Arsenal has now had the better of both of its title rivals, having also won and drawn against Liverpool.

By contrast, City has no league wins against any of the teams above it, having drawn against Liverpool home and away.

Manchester City and Arsenal cancelled each other out Sunday with a 0-0 draw