Roundup of a potentially season-defining matchweek across the Premier League in the battles for title, Europe and survival.
League leaders, Arsenal moved five points clear at the top after salvaging a dramatic 3-3 draw at home to rock-bottom Southampton at the Emirates Stadium.
Carlos Alcaraz scored and assisted for ex-Gunner Theo Walcott in the Saints’ opening two goals before Gabriel Martinelli reduced their lead, until Duje Caleta-Car headed Southampton into a 3-1 lead before Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka struck late on for Arsenal.
Second-placed Manchester City weren’t in league action due to their involvement in this season’s FA Cup semi-finals, where they thrashed Sheffield United 3-0 to reach the Final courtesy of Riyad Mahrez’s hat-trick.
Newcastle moved up to third with a ruthless 6-1 home win against fifth-placed Tottenham, as Jacob Murphy and Alexander Isak scored braces in the opening 21 minutes on top of Joelinton’s goal, before Callum Wilson completed their win in the 67th minute after Harry Kane netted a consolatory goal.
Down in the relegation zone, Timothy Castagne’s 75th minute winner saw Leicester move out of the bottom three with a comeback 2-1 win at home to Wolves, after Kelechi Iheanacho’s first-half penalty had cancelled out Matheus Cunha’s 13th minute opening goal.
Nottingham Forest consequently slipped to second-bottom after losing 3-2 in a second-half thriller at Liverpool, in which Mohamed Salah struck a 70th minute winner for the Reds after Diogo Jota saw goals cancelled out by former Red – Neco Williams plus Morgan Gibbs-White.
Everton slipped into the drop zone on goal difference after scrapping their way to a goalless draw at Crystal Palace, despite finishing with ten men after Mason Holgate was red carded for a second bookable offence in the 80th minute.
Leeds now sit just one point above the relegation zone after Joao Palhinha’s 79th minute own goal only proved consolatory in a 2-1 defeat at Fulham, in which Harry Wilson and Andreas Pereira had sealed the Cottagers’ win prior to Palhinha’s deflection of Patrick Bamford’s attempt.
Bournemouth suffered a 4-0 home defeat to West Ham, in which Michail Antonio, Lucas Paqueta and Declan Rice all netted before half-time and Pablo Fornals completed their rout in the 72nd minute.
Finally, Douglas Luiz’s 87th minute close-range tap-in saw Aston Villa snatch a 1-1 draw away at Brentford, after Ivan Toney had put the Bees ahead in the 65th minute with a close-range strike.
Leave a Reply