Arsenal return to Premier League summit; City cruise

Arsenal leapfrogged Liverpool at the top of the Premier League on Saturday with a 3-0 win at Brighton after Kevin De Bruyne scored twice in Manchester City’s victory at Crystal Palace. Goals from Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard lifted the Gunners to 71 points – one clear of Jurgen Klopp’s men, who are tied on 70 points with defending champions City.
Liverpool face a trip to mercurial Manchester United at Old Trafford today in the next chapter of a thrilling three-way title race. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who have now won 10 of their past 11 league games.
The Gunners boss hailed his team’s maturity and cleverness against a side who had not lost at home since August.
“In attack and defence we had big performances individually,” Arteta. “We missed some big chances but the team looked really connected and had purpose. The last pass and shot to finish the situation could have been better, but it doesn’t matter as we kept going.”
Arsenal dominated the first half at the Amex Stadium but needed a penalty to take the lead. The breakthrough came when Gabriel Jesus was brought down by Tariq Lamptey and the returning Saka sent Bart Verbruggen the wrong way for his 14th Premier League goal of the season in the 33rd minute.
Arsenal doubled their lead shortly after the hour mark when Jorginho set up Havertz at the near post for a simple tap-in and Trossard made it three with a deft chipped finish. The Gunners have not been crowned Premier League champions since 2004, when Arsene Wenger was in charge, but they have added steel to style after faltering in the home straight last season.
“We are older. We went trough a lot of moments together and the chemistry you build within the team,” said Arteta on what was different from a year ago when City stormed clear down the final straight.
“We signed some tremendous players as well which helps. The squad is healthy and the momentum is good.”
Brighton had not lost at home in 14 games in all competitions stretching back to September, but they had not met a side of Arsenal’s class on that run.
Arsenal have now kept five consecutive clean sheets on the road in the Premier League and their desperation not to concede was summed up by the wild celebrations by Gabriel and his teammates after the Brazilian made a late block with the game already settled.
“The desire and love for defending from the players is there,” added Arteta. “You saw the reaction of the teammates with Gabi’s block. That is them, not me, that’s the spirit within the team.”
In the early kick-off, De Bruyne netted twice and top scorer Erling Haaland hit his 19th league goal of the season in City’s 4-2 win at Selhurst Park. Jean-Philippe Mateta gave the home side a shock early lead but De Bruyne levelled in the 13th minute with a curler into the top corner to quell any nerves from the visitors.
Palace carried an attacking threat but Rico Lewis put City ahead just after half-time and De Bruyne and Haaland combined for the third. Midfielder De Bruyne added his second with a solo effort in the 70th minute – his 100th goal for the club – to make the game safe, before substitute Odsonne Edouard scored a consolation.
City boss Pep Guardiola hailed the Belgium international, who missed five months of the season with a hamstring injury he sustained in the opening match at Burnley.
“Sometimes it’s Phil (Foden), Erling or Julian (Alvarez), today it was Kevin,” he said. “Without him we would not be able to win this. You talk about managers but players like Kevin make this game easy.”
Everton went into their match against second-from-bottom Burnley desperately searching for a spark after a run of 13 Premier League matches without a win. They struggled to impose themselves but benefited from a huge slice of fortune when goalkeeper Arijanet Muric’s clearance deflected in off Dominic Calvert-Lewin in first-half stoppage time.
Everton, who last played outside the English top-flight in the 1953/54 season, are now four points above the relegation zone. But the club need everything they can get as they wait nervously to find out if they will be handed a second points deduction this season for breaking Premier League financial rules.
Fourth-placed Villa, beaten in midweek by City, will rue a second-half collapse that could prove costly in their chase to qualify for next season’s Champions League. Unai Emery’s men drew 3-3 but they had led 2-0 after goals from Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rodgers.
Three goals in nine minutes from Mathias Jorgensen, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa turned the match on its head before Watkins levelled in the 80th minute, leaving Villa just three points above Tottenham, who have two games in hand.
Carlton Morris scored a 90th-minute goal in Luton’s 2-1 win against Bournemouth – a result that leaves them in the relegation zone but now level on points with 17th-placed Nottingham Forest. Newcastle edged past Fulham 1-0 courtesy of a late goal from Bruno Guimaraes to keep alive their hopes of European football next season while West Ham came from behind to beat Wolves 2-1.
Results Crystal Palace 2 (Mateta 3, Edouard 86) Manchester City 4 (De Bruyne 13, 70, Lewis 47, Haaland 66); Aston Villa 3 (Watkins 39, 80, Rogers 46) Brentford 3 (Jorgensen 59, Mbeumo 61, Wissa 68); Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 45+2) Burnley 0; Fulham 0 Newcastle 1 (Guimaraes 81); Luton 2 (Clark 73, Morris 90) Bournemouth 1 (Tavernier 52); Wolves 1 (Sarabia 33-pen) West Ham 2 (Paqueta 72-pen, Ward-Prowse 84); Brighton 0 Arsenal 3 (Saka 33-pen, Havertz 62, Trossard 86)
Playing today: Manchester United v Liverpool (1430 GMT), Sheffield United v Chelsea (1630), Tottenham v Nottingham Forest (1700)