Premier League run-in: Arsenal optimism, Man City pressure, Liverpool collapse

Both Arsenal and Manchester City won on Sunday to widen the gap, with the Gunners hanging on to beat rivals Tottenham 3-2 in one of their biggest tests, before City eased to a 2-0 win away to Nottingham Forest.

The results mean Liverpool sit five points off Arsenal with both sides having three games left to play, while City are sandwiched between, one point off the summit with a game in hand.

Here, we take a look at the top-flight run-in as the season enters its final stretch.

 

Arsenal

Position: 1st

Played: 35

Points: 80

Goal Difference: 57

Run-in: Bournemouth (h), Manchester United (a), Everton (h).

A north London derby win, particularly away from home, is always special, but Arsenal’s celebrations at Tottenham on Sunday showed that this one meant a little bit more – having been seen as the toughest of their remaining fixtures in the tight battle at the top.

They punished early mistakes to go into a 3-0 lead, but then had to hang on as Spurs fought back to 3-2 late on – limiting the benefits to their goal difference.

With two of their remaining three games at home, Arsenal have plenty of cause for optimism.

 

Manchester City

Position: 2nd

Played: 34

Points: 79

Goal Difference: 50

Run-in: Wolves (h), Fulham (a), Tottenham (a), West Ham (h).

Arsenal’s win at Spurs piled the pressure on City ahead of their trip to Forest but Pep Guardiola’s men found a response against a side fighting for their Premier League lives.

After Thursday’s trip to Brighton, a 4-0 win, there was a sluggish start but City found a way, and there was also the welcome sight of Erling Haaland returning from injury and finding the net.

City will be asked to respond again this weekend with Arsenal hosting Bournemouth in Saturday’s lunchtime fixture before Wolves visit the Etihad at 5.30pm.

 

Liverpool

Position: 3rd

Played: 35

Points: 75

Goal Difference: 41

Run-in: Tottenham (h), Aston Villa (a), Wolves (h).

It was a bad week for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, who now appear to be out of the race barring a collapse from the top two.

Following on from a painful derby defeat against Everton, Liverpool went to West Ham and suffered more frustration in a 2-2 draw, unable to hold on to a 2-1 lead after coming from behind.

A clash between Klopp and Mohamed Salah as the latter prepared to come off the bench only added to the sense of frustration the Reds must be feeling, and it looks as though the wheels may have come off.