Big wins for Liverpool and Arsenal felt even larger after Manchester Metropolis misplaced floor within the race for the English Premier League title on Saturday.
Chief Liverpool gained at Brentford 4-1 and Arsenal routed Burnley 5-0 earlier than Metropolis was held by Chelsea to 1-1.
There may be nonetheless a number of soccer to return, and Metropolis has a recreation in hand, however a uncommon slip by the defending champion may show to be a key second within the league.
It took a deflected strike from Rodri within the 83rd minute for Metropolis to salvage the draw after former participant Raheem Sterling gave Chelsea a primary half lead.
“We now have sufficient expertise to know it is only the start of the final a part of the season,” Rodri mentioned. “We wish to win, however we now have to examine ourselves, and within the first half with our defending we now have to be stronger for the remainder of the season.”
Liverpool and Arsenal have suffered the ache of going face to face with Metropolis for earlier league crowns and know the significance of capitalizing on any mis-step.
Liverpool twice missed out on the title to Metropolis by a single level lately, whereas Arsenal imploded on the finish of final season.
Regardless of dropping factors, Metropolis nonetheless prolonged its unbeaten run to fifteen video games in all competitions, having gained 11 in a row earlier than Chelsea.
Metropolis was 4 factors behind Liverpool and two off second-placed Arsenal.
Salah’s again
Mohamed Salah is again from harm and again among the many objectives.
Whereas the return of the talismanic striker was excellent news for Liverpool, beating Brentford got here at a value because the workforce’s harm considerations piled up.
Salah, again after a month out with a hamstring harm, scored the third of Liverpool’s objectives.
First-half accidents to Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota, nonetheless, threaten to go away Jurgen Klopp’s squad additional stretched in its four-pronged trophy pursuit.
“We now have to see how a lot it prices us – we do not know that but,” Klopp mentioned. “That Curtis can’t play on tells you that it have to be one thing as a result of he would have performed on in any respect prices.
“Diogo appears to be like most likely the worst. I did not see it again, however I heard the images did not look nice as effectively.”
Jota was taken from the sector on a stretcher with an obvious knee problem, whereas Jones was harm after being hit above his ankle.
Darwin Nunez was additionally taken off, however that seemed to be a precautionary measure.
Liverpool was already with out goalkeeper Alisson, who was harm in coaching on Friday, in addition to Trent Alexander-Arnold, Thiago Alcantara and Dominik Szoboszlai.
They’re set to overlook some regulars within the League Cup remaining in opposition to Chelsea subsequent weekend.
Klopp’s workforce made gentle work of Brentford and raced 3-0 forward by means of objectives from Nunez and Alexis Mac Allister and Salah. Ivan Toney pulled one again for Brentford earlier than substitute Cody Gakpo received Liverpool’s fourth.
Arsenal Stress
After hammering West Ham 6-0 final week, Arsenal produced one other rout at Burnley’s expense. Bukayo Saka scored twice at Turf Moor, whereas Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz have been additionally on the right track within the 5-0 win.
It was a sixth straight win for Arsenal and the third time in that sequence that it has scored 5 or extra objectives.
Haaland frustration
Erling Haaland missed a header from shut vary to cap a irritating recreation in opposition to Chelsea for the Norway striker.
In whole, he had 9 pictures with out scoring. That’s the first time he has had so many pictures with out success since becoming a member of Metropolis from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
Not that supervisor Pep Guardiola appeared involved.
“I performed 11 years and scored 11 objectives so I am unable to give an excessive amount of recommendation to Erling,” Guardiola mentioned. “The following one he’ll rating.”
Prime 4
The race for the highest 4 was tightening.
Whereas it appears to be like like being a shootout between Liverpool, Metropolis and Arsenal for the title, the battle for Champions League qualification may additionally make tense viewing.
Aston Villa moved again as much as fourth after profitable at Fulham 2-1, and Tottenham misplaced at residence to Wolves 2-1.
Simply two factors separate Villa and Spurs, whereas Manchester United may enhance its probabilities of a prime 4 end by beating Luton on Sunday.
Sixth-placed United has gained its final three within the league and will transfer to inside three factors of Tottenham with a win at Kenilworth Street.
Newcastle battle
Newcastle’s issues at residence continued when it needed to twice come from behind to attract with Bournemouth 2-2 at St James’ Park.
Matt Richie’s objective within the second minute of stoppage time earned some extent, however could not finish a four-game winless run at residence that dates to December.
Seventh-placed Newcastle was some extent forward of West Ham after the London aspect suffered a 3rd straight defeat, 2-0 at relegation-fighting Nottingham Forest.
Some West Ham followers held up indicators calling for supervisor David Moyes to go.
