Sports Sports: Premier League leaders Arsenal took control of the title race as Bukayo Saka scored a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City drew 2-2 at home to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest.
The Gunners have 67 points from 30 games, while City have 60 points from 29 games and are now firmly in the lead, although they still have to face City on April 19.
Mikel Arteta’s side headed into their south coast assignment at the top of the table, pipping City, but ended the night with their first title since 2004, offering a glimmer of hope after a sea change for their side.
Saka’s deflected shot in the ninth minute was enough as Arsenal kept their 14th Premier League clean sheet this season. Saka described this brilliant play as ‘ugly’. Wasteful City took the lead twice through goals from Antoine Semenyo and Rodri, but Forest hit back both times, first through Morgan Gibbs-White’s clever backheel and then through Elliot Anderson’s low drive in the 76th minute.
City bombed Forest’s area in the last minutes and almost scored on the last kick of the game, but Savinho’s shot was cleared off the line by Murillo.
The battle for a top-five finish and qualification for the Champions League took another turn when Manchester United suffered their first defeat under interim manager Michael Carrick, losing 1–2 to 10-man Newcastle United.
William Osula came off the bench to score a brilliant late solo winner for Eddie Howe’s side.
Newcastle took the lead through Anthony Gordon’s penalty after Jacob Ramsey was sent off for a second yellow card in first-half stoppage time, but Casemiro equalized before the halftime whistle.
United remain third with 51 points, while Aston Villa are also fourth with 51 points after they were beaten 4-1 at home to Chelsea, with Joao Pedro scoring a hat-trick. Chelsea moved into fifth place with 48 points, above Liverpool.
Forest’s surprise draw with City kept them out of the relegation zone on goal difference from West Ham United, who won 1–0 at Fulham thanks to a goal from Criscencio Somerville.
Both teams have 28 points and are keeping an eye on Tottenham Hotspur, who has 29 points. Their most important home match so far will be with Crystal Palace on Thursday (5 March).
Overall results (played on Tuesday/Wednesday)
Aston Villa 1 (Luiz 2) Chelsea 4 (Joao Pedro 35, 45+6, 64, Palmer 55)
Brighton 0 Arsenal 1 (Saka 9)
Fulham 0 West Ham 1 (Somerville 65)
Manchester City 2 (Semenyo 31, Rodri 62) Nottingham Forest 2 (Gibbs-White 56, Anderson 76)
Newcastle 2 (Gordon 45+6-Pane, Osula 90) Manchester United 1 (Casemiro 45+9)
Bournemouth 0 Brentford 0
Everton 2 (Tarkowski 32, Dewsbury-Hall 60) Burnley 0
Leeds 0 Sunderland 1 (Diarra 70-pen)
Wolves 2 (Rodrigo Gomes 78, Andre 90+4) Liverpool 1 (Salah 83)
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