Erling Haaland scored his fiftieth aim of the season on Sunday as Manchester City beat Fulham to return to the Premier League summit, with Newcastle and Manchester United profitable to shut in on a top-four end.
Liverpool maintained their unlikely pursuit of a Champions League place by beating Tottenham 4-3 in a thriller however Southampton and Leeds are staring into the abyss.
City’s 2-1 win at Craven Cottage left Pep Guardiola’s males a degree away from long-time leaders Arsenal, with a sport in hand.
The defending champions, chasing their fifth Premier League title in six seasons, have been forward within the third minute when Haaland scored from the penalty spot after Julian Alvarez was fouled.
Haaland’s thirty fourth Premier League aim of the season equals the competitors file held by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer — set within the days of 42-game campaigns.
The Norwegian is the primary participant to succeed in a half-century of targets throughout all competitions in a single English top-flight season since 1931.
“Before Winston Churchill was Prime Minister? Wow. Sounds a very long time in the past. Congratulations to Erling,” said City boss Guardiola.
Fulham equalised in the 15th minute through Carlos Vinicius but Alvarez restored City’s lead nine minutes before half-time.
Treble-chasing City, on top for the first time in 10 weeks, have won their past eight league games and are unbeaten in their past 18 matches in all competitions.
They are red-hot favourites to retain their title, taking full advantage of Arsenal’s stumbles — the Gunners are winless in their past four matches.
Arsenal host struggling Chelsea on Tuesday, with City at home to West Ham the following day.
“It’s important but on Tuesday Arsenal will play,” stated Guardiola. “Important is the West Ham sport, it’s a sport in hand. After that we’ll be high of the desk and it will likely be extra actual.”
– Wilson double –
Callum Wilson came off the bench to score twice as third-placed Newcastle fought back to beat Southampton 3-1 and edge their opponents towards relegation.
The England forward was left out of Eddie Howe’s starting line-up despite scoring twice at Everton in midweek but produced the perfect response.
He cancelled out Stuart Armstrong’s first-half opener and then helped himself to a second after Theo Walcott’s own goal had given the Magpies the lead.
The win keeps Newcastle two points ahead of Manchester United but Southampton are anchored at the foot of the table, six points from safety with just four games to play.
Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United edged in-form Aston Villa 1-0, courtesy of a first-half goal from Bruno Fernandes.
“We look from game to game and next we have Brighton so we need to work hard again,” Ten Hag instructed the BBC.
“We want to point out ardour once more and never fear concerning the desk. We are completely in management (within the race for the highest 4). It’s all about us and it’s in our fingers.”
The match came just two days after Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani and Jim Ratcliffe submitted their third, and what are expected to be final, offers to buy United from unpopular American owners the Glazers.
Other parties are interested in minority investment, and it was reported that Joel and Avram Glazer could remain stakeholders under one deal being proposed by British billionaire Ratcliffe.
A group of United fans marched to Old Trafford on Sunday in protest against the Glazers, with a giant banner reading “Full Sale Only”.
– Seven targets at Anfield –
In the later kick-off, Liverpool hit managerless Tottenham with a three-goal blitz within the first quarter-hour however the guests stormed again and Richarlison scored an inconceivable equaliser within the 93rd minute.
Just when it appeared that Spurs had grabbed a dramatic level Diogo Jota gained the sport, leaving the Reds in fifth spot, seven factors behind fourth-placed Manchester United having performed a sport extra.
“We bought away with it thank to Diogo Jota — it makes it spectacular and everyone goes house buzzing,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told Sky.
Colombia midfielder Jefferson Lerma scored twice in four first-half minutes as Bournemouth moved 10 points clear of the relegation zone with a 4-1 home win over Leeds, who remain in deep trouble.
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