Arsenal are top of the Premier League table on goal difference after beating Brentford; and then watching an epic draw between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield.
In another incredible weekend of football the top spot changed hands three times and ended up in the possession of the Gunners, with just one point separating the top three clubs. Our SBOTOP preview said the clash between Liverpool and Manchester City wouldn’t decide anything, but what it did prove is how brilliant this title race is.
It was a fantastic training ground movement which gave the Sky Blues the lead midway through the first half. Kevin De Bruyne spotted the run of Jon Stones to the near post and he hit his corner inch perfect to allow the utility man to squeeze the ball home. Liverpool had plenty of possession in the first half but City came closest to adding to the score when Erling Haaland broke through, but Virgil Van Dijk did enough to put him off and the Norwegian striker shot tamely at Caoimhin Kelleher.
It was 0-1 at half time but an early moment of madness in the City defence handed Liverpool a chance to level. Nathan Ake’s back pass was woefully short and keeper Ederson wiped out Darwin Nunez. The ref pointed to the spot and Alexis MacAllister slammed the ball home.
Liverpool were bouncing; and when Mo Salah climbed off the bench he almost had an immediate impact, putting Luis Diaz clean through but the Colombian scooped his shot wide. The Reds were outstanding in the second half but City almost nicked it late on when Jeremy Doku’s angled shot bounced back off the foot of the post.
Arsenal snuff put the Bees
When Arsenal kicked off against Brentford in the late Saturday kick-off they had a chance to go top of the table and so they did, but it was a much harder 100 minutes than most of the home crowd expected. Declan Rice gave the Gunners a lead with a well placed header but Brentford were level at half time thanks to a nightmare moment for Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale. The 25 year old England stopper had been given a rare chance as first choice David Raya was ineligible to play but, after a pretty uneventful 45 minutes, he tried to play the ball out from the back but dithered, and his clearance bounced off a grateful Yoane Wissa and into the net.
Brentford were buoyed and came out on the attack in the second half, Ivan Toney almost catching Ramsdale out with a long range effort but the keeper redeemed himself with an acrobatic save. And his blushes were spared when Kai Havertz powered home a late header. The German striker scored in the reverse fixture back in November and this was his fourth goal in successive league games, and the result took Arsenal to the top of the table.
It was the Gunners’ eighth league win on the bounce and next up…it’s the Sky Blues at the Etihad Stadium.
Top four battle explodes
It has threatened to come to life for weeks and now the fight for fourth place has become as compelling as the title race as fifth placed Tottenham Hotspur climbed to within two points of Aston Villa after smacking the Villains 4-0 at Sunday lunchtime. Ange Postecoglou’s side, which started the season in spectacular fashion, were already two goals up, courtesy of James Maddison and Brennan Johnson, when Villa went down to ten men when John McGinn was set off.
The Scottish winger clattered into Destiny Udogie to give Unai Emery’s side an even tougher task and they succumbed to two late goals to Heung-Min Son and Timo Werner. Spurs can overtake Villa if they win their game in hand and, with ten games to go, this is going to be one heck of a tussle.
Everton pay the penalty
Manchester United aren’t entirely out of the picture, eight points behind Villa, though six behind Spurs having played a game more and the latest Premier League 2024 betting odds say the Red Devils should be happy with a Europa League spot. But the pressure on Erik Ten Hag eased a little in the early Saturday kick-off as United saw off Everton thanks to two first half penalties.
The lively Alejandro Garnacho won both spot kicks, the first when he drew a foul from Toffees centre back James Tarkowski with just 12 minutes on the clock. Red Devils captain Bruno Fernandes calmly slotted home the penalty to put the hosts in front. When Ben Godfrey clumsily collided with Garnacho the ref pointed to the spot again, but this time Fernandez handed the ball to Marcus Rashford, who fired home after his trademark stuttering run-up.
United rode their luck as Everton spurned a host of chances, Dwight McNeil, Amadou and Godfrey the culprits and the hosts play was not as sharp as Ten Hag would have liked. But a win’s a win and the Red Devils European hopes stay alive while Sean Dyche’s Everton, who may still suffer another Financial Fair Play penalty, are still in the relegation mix.
In other Premier League 2024 news there were wins for Wolves and Brighton, who both end the weekend in the top half; but the Kings of the Premier League right now are Arsenal.
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