Arsenal and Manchester City did their bit in the latest chapter of the English Premier League’s tight title race, negotiating potentially tricky away matches to maintain unbeaten streaks in the competition stretching back to December.
After City overcame an early scare to overwhelm Crystal Palace 4-2largely on the back of Kevin De Bruyne’s masterful performance, Arsenal won at Brighton 3-0 thanks to goals from the returning Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard.
That left Arsenal, City and Liverpool separated by one point, with Arsenal in the lead and City a point back in third, behind Liverpool on goal difference.
Liverpool plays their game in hand on Monday (NZ time) and it’s one of the toughest of the run-in - Manchester United. Liverpool lost at United in the FA Cup last month.
City and Arsenal must now turn their attention to the Champions League as they face difficult games against Real Madrid away and Bayern Munich at home later this week.
City head to the Spanish capital having rediscovered their scoring form and with the team’s undefeated run in all competitions now beyond four months.
Importantly for City, Erling Haaland is back among the goals, and De Bruyne is back scoring screamers.
City recovered from conceding in the third minute to cruise to victory at Selhurst Park, with De Bruyne equalising with a curling shot into the top corner that was so exquisite that Pep Guardiola blew kisses to the Belgium playmaker.
Kevin de Bruyne celebrates against Crystal Palace. Photo / Getty Images
After Rico Lewis put City ahead in the 47th, Haaland scored his first goal in four games to earn De Bruyne his latest assist. De Bruyne then buried a left-footed piledriver for his second goal to finish off Palace.
City struggled to create chances in a 0-0 draw against Arsenal last weekend that proved to be a setback in its attempt to win the league for a fourth straight season - a feat never achieved in English football’s 135-year history.
Since then, City has beaten Aston Villa 4-1 and won at Palace.
Arsenal, meanwhile, haven’t lost in the league since the new year amidst a three-game losing streak which threatened to rock its campaign.
Now, Mikel Arteta’s team is looking rock solid, with the shutout at Amex Stadium making it four straight clean sheets in all competitions.
Saka was declared fit after missing the midweek win over Luton and opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 33rd after Gabriel Jesus was adjudged to have been tripped. Saka has converted all five of his penalties this season and has 14 goals in the league, tying his career-best haul.
Havertz tapped in Jorginho’s cross in the 62nd, then played in Trossard to run through and chip the goalkeeper to score against his former club.
