The English Premier League trophy appears to have one foot in the door at Anfield as Arne Slot’s side efficiently dispatched faltering champions Manchester City, thanks to goals from the ruthlessly efficient Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai, recording their first league win at the Etihad Stadium since 2015.
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The Reds capitalized on a slip-up from title rivals Arsenal, as they fell to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at home to West Ham, allowing Liverpool to open an 11 point lead at the summit with 12 games to play. Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly received his second red card of the season as the North London side’s well-documented injury issues meant they lacked cutting edge in attack, failing to pose any significant threat to the West Ham goal.
The goals were flying in on Tyneside as Newcastle overcame high-flying Nottingham Forest 4-3, at St. James’ Park. Forest’s typical defensive stability was undone by Newcastle’s attacking star power, as prolific striker Alexander Isak became the seventh quickest player to reach 50 Premier League goals, finding the target twice in as many minutes to complete the comeback from an early 1-0 deficit.
The result sees Eddie Howe’s side draw level with fourth-placed Man City, as the race for Champions League qualification heats up, with seven sides within five points of each other competing for the final two top four slots. Aston Villa ensured their hat is firmly in the ring for back-to-back Champions League qualification with an impressive 2-1 win at home to a misfiring Chelsea side, whose form has declined as star man Cole Palmer’s influence has diminished recently.
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At the foot of the table, the gap between the newly promoted clubs and the rest of the league widened as Southampton, Ipswich, and Leicester all shipped four goals to their respective opponents in spineless performances, all but confirming their immediate return to the Championship just a year after being promoted.
Southampton is staring down the barrel of an unwelcome record as one of the worst teams in Premier League history, mustering a mere nine points after 27 games to date.
Midweek action is headlined by Newcastle’s trip south to Anfield as Liverpool aims to tighten their grip on top spot, while Manchester City visits the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with Pep Guardiola desperately hoping to light a fire under the belly of his once world-beating squad.
