An action-packed mid-week slate of mouth-watering Premier League fixtures delivered with Liverpool extending their lead as several other results shook up the top four race.
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Manchester City overcame a wasteful Tottenham 1-0 courtesy of an early goal from Erling Haaland upon his return to the starting line-up, while Arsenal and Nottingham Forest drew as Manchester United overcame some horrific defensive blunders to earn a come-from-behind win against 18th placed Ipswich Town.
LIVERPOOL MARCH ON
Liverpool now sit 13 points clear of Arsenal, with a game in hand, as they overcame Newcastle 2-0 at Anfield despite suspended manager Arne Slot having to watch from the stands.
Dominik Szoboszlai buried an 11th minute goal after being fed through by Luis Diaz to open the scoring, and Alexis Mac Allister rifled home the second in the 63rd minute after a one-two with Mohamed Salah following a Newcastle turnover in midfield.
Liverpool continue to hog the Premier League spotlight as an almost-flawless campaign approaches a memorable climax.
The Reds look certain to win the Premier League for the first time since 2020, which will move them level with Manchester United on a record-equalling 20 English titles.
Having won 2-0 at fading champions City on Sunday 24 hours after Arsenal lost to West Ham, Slot’s men kept their foot on the gas to turn the title race into a procession.
Szoboszlai netted with a clinical finish in the 11th minute and Mac Allister’s fine strike in the 63rd minute made it 20 wins and just one defeat from 28 league games this term.
In his first season after replacing Jurgen Klopp, Slot has made an astonishing impact, which could yet include Champions League and League Cup glory as well.
The Reds play Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16 first leg next week and face a rematch with Newcastle at Wembley in the League Cup final on March 16.
TOP FOUR RIVALS STALEMATE
Second-placed Arsenal and third-placed Nottingham Forest played out a scoreless draw at the City Ground, allowing Liverpool to extend their lead at the top.
The Gunners had the better of the match, statistically, registering 13 shots to six and having 65% possession as their midfield controlled the match.
But only one of Arsenal’s shots was on target, compared to two from Forest.
The hosts defended resolutely to make it appear as if the game would never break open, and they also never seriously threatened in attack.
A point is enough to keep Forest in third, ahead of defending champions Manchester City.
Arsenal’s title chances have been hampered by injuries suffered by Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.
Midfielder Mikel Merino was retained by Arteta in a centre-forward role despite failing to impress in a shock 1-0 home defeat to West Ham on Saturday.
In the absence of fit and in-form attackers, Arsenal have been reliant on defenders coming up with big goals and Riccardo Calafiori nearly obliged.
The Italian international came closest to scoring for the visitors when his first-half effort came back off the inside of the post.
Merino forced Matz Sels into his only serious save with a header from a corner early in the second period.
Arsenal did at least limit Forest to precious little as an attacking threat. Chris Wood had the hosts’ only chance 20 minutes from time but Forest’s talisman fired too close to David Raya.
However, after three defeats in their last four league games, Nuno Espirito Santo may see this as a point gained in his side’s challenge to reach the Champions League for the first time, having last played in the European Cup in 1980.
UNITED SURVIVE DEFENSIVE HORROR SHOW
Meanwhile, Manchester United came from behind to pick up a 3-2 win at Old Trafford against relegation battlers Ipswich Town.
The visitors scored after just four minutes courtesy of a defensive breakdown by the hosts.
United defender Patrick Dorgu ran down a long ball over the top and tried to touch it back to André Onana, but the goalkeeper had come out to collect the ball himself and Dorgu’s touch took the ball behind Onana.
The blunder was a gift for Ipswich’s Jaden Philogene who ran onto the ball and tapped it into an empty net.
United hit back with two goals in the space of just four minutes to take the lead, however.
An own goal off Ipswich captain Sam Morsy’s head from a United free kick levelled the scores before defender Matthijis de Ligt scrambled home a rebound from a corner in the 26th minute.
But then things got chaotic again with Dorgu’s horror night ending via a red card after a dodgy tackle that missed the ball and collected Omari Hutchinson’s shins.
Reduced to ten men, United then conceded an equaliser in added time with Philogene scoring his second to head into the sheds at 2-2.
The script flipped again three minutes after the break, with Harry Maguire heading home United’s third goal, all of which have come from set pieces.
Elsewhere, Brentford drew 1-1 at home to Everton with Yoane Wissa scoring on the stroke of half time for the hosts before Jake O’Brien found an equaliser in the 77th minute.
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