Arne Slot’s Liverpool remain six points clear at the top of the Premier League after they shared the spoils with Manchester United in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Anfield.
Liverpool versus Manchester United was the SBOTOP clash of the weekend and few outside Manchester expected anything other than a big home win. And the realistic Red Devils fans feared the worst. But the visitors fought hard throughout and were ahead on the hour, though that only served to spur their hosts on to fight back.
After weathering an early onslaught from the hosts United had two great chances to take the lead, but Rasmus Hojlund and Amad Diallo both fluffed their lines. But then, early in the second half, the away end at Anfield erupted as Lisandro Martinez fired a thunderbolt past Ailsson. It was the Red Devils’ first goal here in six attempts and the celebrations showed exactly what it meant. But the lead lasted just a few minutes until Cody Gakpo latched onto a superb pass from Alexis MacAllister and steered the ball home.
A few more minutes and the game was on its head. Trent Alexander Arnold sent in a cross, Matthijs de Ligt stuck his hand out, VAR awarded a penalty and Mo Salah did the rest from 12 yards. But was that it? Nope!
Ruben Amorin had made a switch and it was to substitute Alejandro Garnacho who pulled the ball back for Amad to slide the ball past Allison for 2-2; and United could have nicked it but Harry Maguire spooned the ball over with the goal gaping.
The latest Premier League 2025 betting odds still strongly back Liverpool for the title, helped by results elsewhere.
New Year was a letdown in London
While the Northwest giants battled it out on Sunday, 24 hours earlier the title chasers were suffering a nasty hangover as Arsenal and Chelsea both dropped points. In otherPremier League 2025 news Manchester City made it back to back wins thanks to a convincing 4-1 victory at home to East Londoners West Ham United. 20 year old winger Savinho was the star again after he opened his account when the Sky Blues beat Leicester City in midweek. Pep Guardiola said, after the game, that City are not yet back to their best and that won’t improve the Hammers mood.
Chelsea’s toils continued away to Crystal Palace on Saturday after they lost 2-0 to Ipswich Town in their last outing. The imperious Cole Palmer put Enzo Maresca’s side ahead early on but, despite have 15 shots, that was the only one on target and, after Robert Sanchez had kept out five Palace shots, Jean Phillipe Mateta finally broke through on 82 minutes. The Blues missed a chance to improve on their fourth position and Newcastle United moved to within a point in fifth place after they beat another London giant, Tottenham Hotpsur, 2-1, with red hot striker Alexander Isak on target again, to make it 13 goals for the season from just 18 games.
That result will have gone a little way towards cheering up Arsenal fans who were frustrated by Brighton and Hove Albion in a 1-1 draw on the south coast. The Gunners were depleted in attack, with Bukayo Saka long term injured and Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard struck down by illness. 17 year old forward Ethan Nwaneri made his second start for Arsenal and he opened the scoring when he latched on to a ball from Gabriel Martinelli and coolly slid the ball home. But it was a moment of serious controversy which cost the Gunners and left manager Mikel Arteta fuming. Arsenal centre back William Saliba clashed heads with Joao Pedro and the referee surprised everybody when he pointed to the penalty spot.
VAR intervened and didn’t surprise anybody by backing up the odd on-field decision and Pedro slammed home the spot-kick.
Saints look doomed already
There was joy for one of the smaller London clubs as Brentford finally secured an away win on Saturday and in some style, as the Bees hammered Southampton 5-0 at a stunned St Mary’s Stadium. The brilliant Bryan Mbeumo scored a brace to move up to 13 goals for the season while Yoane Wissa scored his tenth of the campaign, with Kevin Schade and Keane Lewis-Potter adding to the rout. The Saints didn’t have any answers and they don’t seem to have an escape plan, now ten points from safety and, with just six on the board, in danger of beating the lowest ever tally in the Premier League, Derby County’s 2007/8 team which amassed a measly 11 points.
Relegation threatened Ipswich grabbed a point away to Fulham but that isn’t half the story as another London club’s manager was left in disbelief by a baffling referee performance. After Sammy Szmodics gave the Tractor Boys a shock lead there were three penalties in the second half, two converted by Fulham’s Raul Jimenez and one by Ipswich’s Liam Delap. But the big moment came at 0-0 when Leif Davies chopped down Fulham’s Harry Wilson when he was clean through on goal. It looked like a clear straight red with the nearest covering defender nowhere near… but the ref awarded a yellow card and Cottagers boss Marco Silva very nearly exploded!
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