Haaland rampant in City win
But Arsenal also victorious as title race likely to go all the way to final day
Four goals for Erling Haaland. Another win for Manchester City in their bid to capture an unprecedented fourth straight Premier League crown. Arsenal, though, aren’t going away in the title race.
Not this time.
Haaland has now at least a hattrick in six of his 63 matches in England’s top flight after converting two penalties either side of a towering header and curling home a sublime finish in City’s 5-1 victory over Wolverhampton yesterday. Julian Alvarez added a late fifth, moments after coming on as a substitute for Haaland.
“Erling is back to business,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “Penalties are a guarantee but the second and fourth [goals] were unbelievable.”
That’s six straight wins for the defending champions in their fivemonth unbeaten streak in the league. Three more wins — away to Fulham and Tottenham and then at home to West Ham — and the title is theirs once again.
City might need to be perfect down the stretch to hold off Arsenal.
There’s no sign of an end-of-season collapse by Mikel Arteta’s team this time, with a 3-0 win over Bournemouth in the lunchtime kickoff keeping the pressure on City.
Arsenal have four straight wins and have retained their one-point lead. City, though, have three games left, one more than Arsenal.
Last season, Arsenal’s title challenge faded in the spring as a fastfinishing City clinched a third straight league championship with three games to spare.
Twelve months on and the title race is heading into the final week of the season. Indeed, given the form of the top two, it is likely to be decided in the last round of games on May 20.
Bukayo Saka converted a penalty in the 45th minute before second-half goals by Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice gave Arsenal victory at Emirates Stadium.
Burnley in trouble
Burnley slipped closer to the drop thanks to their 4-1 loss at home to Newcastle combined with relegation rivals Nottingham Forest’s 3-1 win at last-placed Sheffield United.
It left next-to-last Burnley five points adrift of Forest, who occupy the place directly above the relegation zone.
Burnley have to win both their remaining games — away to Tottenham and then at home to Forest on the final day — to stand a chance of staying up. Even that won’t be enough if Forest avoid defeat at West Ham next weekend, given Burnley’s goal difference is so much worse than Forest’s.
Luton, who drew 1-1 with Everton on Saturday, are third from bottom and now three points behind Forest.
As it stands, the three teams that were promoted last season are going straight back down to the Championship.
Callum Wilson, Sean Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak all scored for Newcastle, who climbed above Manchester United and into sixth place in their bid to qualify for Europe. Newcastle could even catch Tottenham, who were four points further ahead in fifth ahead of their game at Liverpool overnight.
Manchester United visit Crystal Palace tomorrow.
Sheffield United were already sure of being relegated before playing Forest, who came from behind through a double from Callum Hudson-Odoi that came either side of Ryan Yates’ goal. All White Chris Wood was substituted in the 90th minute.
In yesterday’s other match, Brentford and Fulham drew 0-0.
Top scorer race
Haaland’s four goals have left him in sight of the Golden Boot — awarded to the league’s top scorer — for the second straight season.
The Norway striker has 25 for the campaign, five more than Isak and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer. Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa is one goal further back.
Haaland scored 36 goals in the league last season.
Ipswich promoted
There will be a refreshing name in the Premier League next season.
Ipswich sealed a return to England’s top division for the first time in 22 years after finishing as runnersup on the last day of the second-tier Championship’s regular season.
A 2-0 win over Huddersfield saw Ipswich beat Leeds to the second automatic qualification spot, behind Leicester.
Leeds joined Southampton, West Bromwich Albion and Norwich in the playoffs for the third promotion spot. Leeds will play Norwich over two legs and Southampton take on West Brom.
The playoff final is at Wembley Stadium on May 26.