It’s been one of the most enthralling title races
we’ve ever had in Premier League history.
With just 10 games to go, only goal difference that
separates table toppers Arsenal with second placed Liverpool, and Manchester
City a point away from first-placed Arsenal, it’s all set up for one of the
closest finishes the league has had in a while.
Pep Guardiola’s City will be confident of going all
the way, having seen off competition to win the league for the last four years,
while Liverpool will push to give their manager Jürgen Klopp the perfect
send-off with a league title.
Arsenal is determined to make things right, following
last year’s calamitous title challenge. Mikel Arteta’s men threw away a
10-point lead to hand City the title, and so they’ll be determined to go all
the way this season.
However, Arteta will be buoyed by his team’s
performances of late, having won their last six games on the spin and having
scored countless goals in the process.
All three teams have massive tasks ahead, with City,
Liverpool, and Arsenal set for a number of crucial and tough fixtures. But the
trio will be well up for it knowing that only a near perfect record will help
them achieve glory.
With City, Liverpool and Arsenal set for a crucial few
weeks ahead, Showmax takes a look back at the pivotal moments that shaped
this seasons title race.
Arsenal v Brentford (Home and Away) Home: 2-1; Away:
0-1
Kai Havertz’s late-winning header against Brentford
last weekend could prove to be one of the most pivotal moments in Arsenal’s
season. Had it not been for Havertz’a late header at the Emirates, the Gunners
could very well have missed the opportunity to go top, following the tie
between Liverpool and Manchester City. The game ended 2-1 with goals from
Declan Rice and Havertz proving to be enough to take all three points.
In the fixture at the home of the Bees in November
last year, it was Kai Havertz once again who proved to be the difference,
scoring the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win. Havertz bagged an 89th-minute
winner to ensure the Gunners enjoyed a thrilling last gasp win at Brentford.
Arsenal v Man City: 1-0
Gabriel Martinelli scored a dramatic late winner as
Arsenal earned a statement victory over defending Premier League champions
Manchester City at Emirates Stadium.
A largely disappointing game was given a stunning
finale four minutes from time just as both sides looked certain to have to
settled for a point.
Making his return from a hamstring injury as a
substitute, Martinelli’s strike deflected in off Nathan Ake to earn Arsenal a
first league win over City since December 2015.
It was a moment that sparked wild celebrations and put
the Gunners level on points with north London rivals Tottenham at the top of
the table.
Arsenal v Liverpool (Home and Away): Home: 3-1; Away
1-1
In their most recent meeting, Arsenal clinched a 3-1
win over 10-men Liverpool in a pulsating game at the Emirates Stadium that blew
the title race wide open.
The hosts dominated much of the contest but gifted
Liverpool a route back into the game when a defensive mix-up on the stroke of
half-time saw Gabriel Magalhaes turn into his own net to cancel out Bukayo
Saka’s early opener.
Arsenal continued to push, though, and went back in
front when Gabriel Martinelli turned into an empty net after Liverpool’s
Alisson Becker had charged off his line and failed to clear a long ball.
Jürgen Klopp’s side, unbeaten in their previous 15
Premier League games, had Ibrahima Konate sent off before substitute Leandro
Trossard wrapped up a huge win for the Gunners in stoppage time, finishing
smartly through Alisson’s legs from an acute angle.
In the nail-biting fixture at the Emirates last year,
Arsenal started off with a flyer, going ahead in just the fourth minute with a
bullet header from their defender Gabriel Magalhaes. It was Liverpool’s
Egyptian King that had to come to the rescue for his teammates, scoring a
rocket of a goal to level matters. The two teams shared the points in
what was a tight encounter.
Newcastle v Liverpool: 1-2
Darwin Nunez was the hero as Liverpool produced a
sensational last-gasp comeback to defeat their top-four rivals at St James’
Park. The Uruguayan striker came off the bench to net twice as spirited
Liverpool recovered from Anthony Gordon’s goal and the first-half sending off
of captain Virgil van Dijk in three minutes of madness to produce a stunning
late turnaround with only 10 men on Tyneside.
Tottenham v Liverpool: 2-1
Liverpool had a goal incorrectly ruled out and then,
after being reduced to nine players, saw Joel Matip concede a 96th-minute own
goal as Tottenham triumphed 2-1 in a Premier League thriller to go second in
the table above their rivals Arsenal. But it all could have been different and
Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp had already slammed “the most unfair circumstances,
crazy decisions,” before referee body PGMOL officially apologised for Luis
Diaz’s first-half strike being disallowed for offside.
Wolves v Man City: 2-1
Manchester City’s perfect start to the Premier League
season was brought to a surprising halt by Wolves as the champions slumped to a
2-1 defeat at Molineux.
City had won six consecutive matches as they began
their title defence in imperious form, but the 1-0 defeat at Newcastle in
the Carabao Cup in midweek showed Pep Guardiola’s side were not
infallible.
Having started the week without a competitive defeat
in 90 minutes since May, City were handed two in a row thanks to a Ruben Dias
own goal and a close-range Hee-Chan Hwang strike.
Liverpool v Luton: 4-1
Luton Town were dreaming of a shock result at Anfield
when Chiedozie Ogbene gave them the lead in the first half, but Liverpool
roared back in the second 45, scoring a total of four times to secure an
emphatic win. The result meant that Liverpool restored their lead at the top of
the Premier League table.
Liverpool v Fulham: 4-3
Trent Alexander-Arnold scored an 88th-minute winner as
Liverpool mounted a stunning late comeback to beat Fulham in a seven-goal
thriller at Anfield.
Trailing 3-2 in the 87th minute, Liverpool equalised
as Wataru Endo scored his first Premier League goal and seconds later,
Alexander-Arnold completed the turnaround.
Alexander-Arnold had helped Liverpool open the scoring
in the 20th minute when his free-kick ricocheted off the crossbar and in, off
Fulham keeper Bernd Leno.
Former Red Harry Wilson equalised four minutes later
before Alexis Mac Allister restored Liverpool’s lead after 38 minutes with a
stunning long-range strike.
Kenny Tete netted Fulham’s second equaliser in
first-half injury time and Bobby De Cordova-Reid headed the Cottagers into the
lead in the 80th minute.
Fulham had looked set to end Liverpool’s 13-month
unbeaten home record in the Premier League. Instead, the Reds kept up their
perfect record at Anfield this season and cut Arsenal’s lead at the top.
Manchester City v Tottenham: 3-3
Dejan Kulusevski conjured up a 90th-minute equaliser
to earn Spurs a 3-3 draw against Manchester City in a thrilling game at the
Etihad Stadium.
Jack Grealish had looked to have come off the bench to
win it for the Premier League champions but in a game of high drama, Tottenham,
who had led early on through Heung-Min Son, mustered a second equaliser to end
their run of three consecutive defeats.
The match had it all from the outset, Son scoring at
both ends before Phil Foden appeared to put City in control. But Erling Haaland
wasted chances and Pep Guardiola’s side also struck post and bar before Giovani
Lo Celso made them pay midway through the second half.
Aston Villa v Manchester City: 1-0
Leon Bailey’s deflected shot gave Aston Villa a fully
deserved victory over Manchester City. Villa were superior throughout against
the lacklustre champions, who had gone four Premier League games without a win
for the first time in more than seven years.
Villa were fearless going forward from the outset,
with City keeper Ederson making two fine early saves from Pau Torres and
Bailey, while opposite number Emi Martinez did superbly to deny Erling Haaland
twice in quick succession.
City lacked composure and were run ragged at times,
and the Villa breakthrough came 16 minutes from time, when Bailey’s shot from
the edge of the area took a touch off Ruben Dias as it looped beyond the
helpless Ederson.
Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool: 1-0
Darwin Nunez came off the bench to score a dramatic
99th-minute winner and send Liverpool four points clear at the top of the
Premier League with victory at struggling Nottingham Forest.
As the game drifted past the eight added minutes
announced by the fourth official, Nunez, playing his first game since suffering
a muscle injury at Brentford on 17 February, found the bottom corner with a
glancing header from Alexis Mac Allister’s cross, sparking bedlam on the
Liverpool bench and in the stands.
Manchester City v Chelsea: 4-4
Cole Palmer netted a stoppage-time penalty against his
former club Manchester City to rescue a point for Chelsea in a pulsating,
eight-goal Premier League classic at Stamford Bridge.
Palmer, who swapped his boyhood club for Chelsea in
the summer, held his nerve to beat Ederson as Mauricio Pochettino’s side came
from behind for a third time in a breathless game.
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