There was red card drama in Arsenal’s nail-biting win over Wolves, while Liverpool moved one step closer to a historic achievement.
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RED CARD DRAMA IN GUNNERS WIN
Mikel Arteta urged the Football Association to overturn Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly’s controversial red card in Sunday’s 1-0 win at Wolves.
Lewis-Skelly, 18, became the third youngest player to be dismissed in Premier League history when he was shown a straight red by Michael Oliver in the first half for clipping Matt Doherty.
It was a hugely contentious decision as the offence took place deep inside Arsenal’s own half and was clearly not reckless.
Former England captain Alan Shearer called it “one of the worst decisions that I’ve seen in a long time”.
Furious Gunners boss Arteta wants the decision overturned in the same way Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes was let off following a red card against Tottenham earlier in the season.
“I am absolutely fuming but I leave it with you,” Arteta said. “I think it is that obvious that we don’t need any comment today and hopefully the right thing will happen.
“Hopefully we don’t need to (appeal the decision) and if we have to, there is a really good precedent, what happened with Bruno this season as well.
“OK, we were in a position that we shouldn’t be in, at least let’s be in a position that we should be in for the next few weeks and allow that player to continue to his job.” Arsenal overcame adversity to win the game through Riccardo Calafiori’s 74th-minute goal, four minutes after the hosts had also been reduced to 10 men when Joao Gomes was sent off.
That kept their title hopes alive as they cling on to Liverpool’s coat-tails, six points behind having played a game more.
“I’m extremely proud of the players,” Arteta added. “I mean, you can talk about our courage, you can talk about spirit, but as well about intelligence, the way they managed the game emotionally, it was unbelievable, especially with what we had to face and how they felt about it.
“All of them just faced the situation. We went to a second half and the only message was to go out there to win the game. That’s it.
“If somebody doesn’t feel it, don’t go and they certainly did it in a really convincing way.”
REDS ONE STEP CLOSER TO TITLE
Cody Gakpo scored twice as Liverpool took another step towards the Premier League title with a 4-1 demolition of Ipswich at Anfield on Sunday morning (AEDT).
Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah were also on target in a dominant performance from the Reds, who remain six points clear of Arsenal having played a game less.
Just a second league title in 35 years and a 20th overall to match Manchester United’s English record now seems just a matter of time in Arne Slot’s first season in charge.
The Dutchman was able to make five changes from Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Lille that also secured direct passage to the last 16 of the Champions League in a sparkling season for the six-time European champions.
By contrast, Ipswich are finding the step up to the Premier League a bridge too far after back-to-back promotions.
Kieran McKenna’s men were thrashed 6-0 at home by Manchester City last weekend and could easily have suffered the same margin or more on their first trip to Anfield since 2002.
Slot has been keen for Szoboszlai to up his scoring contribution from midfield and the Hungarian led the way with a fine low strike for his fourth goal of the campaign after just 11 minutes.
Salah had been made to wait to usurp Thierry Henry as the Premier League’s seventh highest goalscorer of all time after blanking away at Nottingham Forest and Brentford.
The Egyptian made sure normal service was resumed by firing in high from Gakpo’s cross for his 176th Premier League goal and 19th of the season to move two clear of Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak in the race for the golden boot.
Szoboszlai’s forward runs were a constant threat for the Ipswich defence and the source of the third goal as Gakpo turned home the rebound after Christian Walton saved the midfielder’s initial effort.
Liverpool unsurprisingly eased off in the second half amid a gruelling schedule as they remain in the hunt for four competitions.
Gakpo headed in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s inviting cross for his 14th goal of the season.
Ipswich did at least get a consolation in the final minute when Jacob Greaves headed in from Julio Enciso’s corner.
However, the real test of their survival hopes comes next weekend when bottom-of-the-table Southampton visit Portman Road in a must-win clash for the Tractor Boys.
Ipswich remain in the relegation zone but only on goal difference behind Wolves, who blew a man advantage for half an hour of their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.
CITY OVERCOMES SLOW START TO DOWN BLUES
Erling Haaland inspired a Manchester City fightback from 1-0 down to beat Chelsea 3-1 and move into the Premier League top four at the Blues’ expense on Saturday.
City recovered from a nightmare start to Abdukodir Khusanov’s debut as he gifted the visitors the opening goal, scored by Noni Madueke.
Josko Gvardiol levelled for Pep Guardiola’s men before Haaland showed his blend of strength and skill to chip in 22 minutes from time.
The Norwegian then turned provider for the in-form Phil Foden to secure City’s fourth win in five league games after just one in their previous nine.
Chelsea have won just once in their last seven Premier League games to fall to sixth and will once again reflect on the need to upgrade on goalkeeper Robert Sanchez after his positioning led to Haaland’s crucial goal.
City’s victory puts them back in pole position to qualify for next season’s Champions League, just days before they try to save themselves in this season’s competition.
The English champions must beat Club Brugge on Wednesday to reach the playoff round after collapsing from 2-0 up to lose 4-2 at Paris Saint-Germain in midweek.
Guardiola reacted by throwing in new signings Khusanov and Omar Marmoush for their debuts.
But that decision backfired spectacularly in the case of Khusanov inside three minutes.
The first ever Uzbek to play in the Premier League did not properly connect with an attempted header back towards his own goal and Nicolas Jackson pounced to tee up Madueke for a tap in.
Moments later Khusanov was fortunate to get away with only a yellow card for chopping down Cole Palmer.
By contrast, Marmoush was showing why only Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane had scored more Bundesliga goals than him this season prior to a £59 million ($72.6 million) move from Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Egyptian thought he had equalised when he pounced to fire home the rebound after Sanchez parried Ilkay Gundogan’s effort, but was flagged offside.
Gvardiol’s marauding runs from left-back were causing City’s biggest threat. Chelsea did not heed a warning as the Croatian prodded inches wide with his left foot after storming into the box.
Just before half-time, Gvardiol had a simple task for his fifth Premier League goal of the season.
Matheus Nunes this time made the break from full-back and after he was denied by Sanchez, the ball fell for Gvardiol to roll into an empty net.
Guardiola cut his losses with Khusanov at the start of the second period. He was replaced by John Stones and City were rarely troubled thereafter at the back.
Marmoush was close to a perfect start to his City career when he blasted wide from Haaland’s pass after the Norwegian was picked out by a long ball from Ederson.
But again Chelsea did not learn their lesson. Moments later from another Ederson clearance, Haaland outmuscled Trevoh Chalobah and then chipped Sanchez, who had charged out of his goal and ended up in no man’s land.
Despite City’s struggles, Haaland has remained a reliable source of goals as he took his tally for the season to 24, six of which have come in the last six games.
And he created he third goal as his layoff sent Foden clear to slot home his sixth goal in his last four league games.
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