Roundup of a double matchweek as the Premier League run-in commenced with plenty of goals and a double-firing.
Whilst Arsenal and Manchester City focused upon their title battle, several teams found themselves tussling for position in the race for European qualification, whilst there is an ongoing scrap for survival involving nine teams.
Throw in two managerial sackings and this has been a busy pair of matchweeks across five days, as the run-in started in epic style.
Week 28
Gabriel Jesus’ brace plus strikes from Ben White and Granit Xhaka saw Arsenal thrash struggling Leeds 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium.
Man City meanwhile remain eight points behind Arsenal, after Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish both produced a goal and assist apiece in a comeback 4-1 home win over Liverpool, after Mohamed Salah had put the Reds ahead in the 17th minute.
Second-half goals from Joe Willock and Callum Wilson saw Newcastle United stun Manchester United at St James’ Park, which lifted Eddie Howe’s Magpies above the Red Devils into third.
Harry Kane’s 68th minute penalty saw Tottenham improve to fourth with a 1-1 draw at Everton – in which his goal was cancelled out by Michael Keane’s 90th minute equaliser, although both teams finished a man down after red cards for Abdoulaye Doucoure and Lucas Moura.
Down in the relegation zone, Southampton remain rock-bottom after losing 1-0 at West Ham as Nayef Aguerd headed the Hammers out of the bottom three at Leeds’ expense.
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s injury-time strike completed Crystal Palace’s comeback home win over Leicester who slipped to second-bottom, after Daniel Iversen’s own goal cancelled out Ricardo Pereira’s opening goal and the Foxes ultimately sacked Brendan Rogers as manager.
Bournemouth climbed out of the relegation zone following Dominic Solanke’s 79th minute winner in a comeback 2-1 home win over Fulham, in which Marcus Tavernier cancelled out Andreas Pereira’s 16th minute opening goal.
Elsewhere, Alexis Mac Allister’s 90th minute penalty rescued Brighton a vital point in a dramatic 3-3 draw against Brentford, in which the Bees took the lead through Pontus Jansson, Ivan Toney and Ethan Pinnock only to be pegged back by the Seagulls on three separate occasions.
Ollie Watkins and John McGinn’s goals saw Aston Villa stun Chelsea 2-0 to clinch their first win at Stamford Bridge since December 2011, which also saw them leapfrog the Blues into ninth and forced the West London club to act by sacking Graham Potter after under seven months in charge.
Daniel Podence cancelled out Brennan Johnson’s 38th minute opening goal as Wolves fought back to draw 1-1 at Nottingham Forest.
Week 29
Wilson and Joelinton (pictured) netted twice apiece whilst Alexander Isak smashed in a 35-yard stunner, as Newcastle United remain third following a ruthless 5-1 win at West Ham with Kurt Zouma heading a 40th minute consolatory goal for the Hammers.
Marcus Rashford’s 27th minute winner saw Man Utd scrape past Brentford in a scrappy contest at Old Trafford, with Erik Ten Hag’s Red Devils now up to fourth.
Goals from Evan Ferguson and Julio Enciso saw Brighton comfortably clinch a 2-0 win away at Bournemouth, thus keeping their top-four ambitions firmly alive.
Luis Sinisterra’s first-half injury-time winner saw Leeds defeat Nottingham Forest 2-1 to climb out of the relegation zone at Bournemouth’s expense, having initially equalised through Jack Harrison who cancelled out Orel Mangala’s early goal for the visitors.
Bertrand Traore’s 87th minute curled winner saw Aston Villa clinch a 2-1 win at second-bottom Leicester, after Ollie Watkins’s 18th minute strike had been cancelled out by Harvey Barnes before the Foxes’ Kieran Dewsbury-Hall was red carded in the 70th minute.
Finally, Chelsea held Liverpool to a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge which left both teams adrift of the top-four race, and at serious risk of not even qualifying for Europa League or Europa Conference League next season.
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