🦁 Man City take big title step! Chelsea lose again; narrow Liverpool win | OneFootball

There were four fixtures from the Premier League on Wednesday night, including a huge top-of-the-table showdown. This is what went down.

City sweep Arsenal aside in Etihad showdown

Scorers: De Bruyne 7′, 53′ Stones 45+2′, Haaland 90+4′; Holding 86′

Manchester City took a huge step towards retaining their Premier League title by ruthlessly swatting leaders Arsenal aside in devastating fashion.

Although they remain second and two points behind Mikel Arteta’s men, City do have two vital games in hand over Arsenal, who are now winless in their last four.

City got the party started early through the outstanding Kevin De Bruyne, who was allowed to race forward unchallenged and picked out the corner of the net from the edge of the box with a fantastic finish.

He came close to adding to that advantage with City dominant in the opening half hour, only to be denied by a late block from Ben White, before Aaron Ramsdale was called into action twice to keep Erling Haaland from his customary goal.

When he did appear to have the Gunners goalkeeper beaten on 35 minutes, his curling effort ended up a lick of paint past the post before Ramsdale came up big again to deny the Norwegian for a third time.

On the stroke of half-time, John Stones doubled City’s lead when he headed home a deep delivery to the back post and although the effort was initially ruled out for offside, a VAR check saw the decision reversed and the goal was awarded.

After the break, Haaland spurned another huge chance when in one-on-one with Ramsdale but made swift amends moments later by teeing up De Bruyne to sweep home – sparing his striker’s blushes and ensuring there would be no comeback.

Arsenal did pull one back in the closing stages as Rob Holding picked out the corner with a well-taken strike from the edge of the area but City finished with a flourish as Haaland did finally get his goal with the final kick, steering in to set the single season record for goals in a 38-game season with 33.

City are now firm favourites to keep the title at the Etihad as a result of their games in hand and their treble ambitions remain a very realistic possibility.

Matip heads Liverpool to victory

Scorers: Paquetá 12′; Gakpo 18′, Matip 67′

Liverpool pulled off an impressive comeback win in London to see off a spirited West Ham side.

West Ham took the lead in this one with 12 minutes on the clock through Lucas Paquetá to keep up his outstanding recent resurgence with a fine finish from the edge of the area after a neat give-and-go with Michail Antonio.

But that lasted just six minutes before the Reds equalised through Cody Gakpo who found the corner from 25 yards after some patient Liverpool possession play.

Jarrod Bowen had the ball in the net for West Ham after the interval but following a VAR check, Chris Kavanagh correctly ruled out the effort for an offside in the build-up before Lukasz Fabianski pulled off a superb goal-line stop to keep out Joël Matip.

But within moments, the Cameroonian tried his luck again with a bullet header and this time, the man between the posts could do nothing as he was beaten by the finish from Andy Robertson’s corner for the winner, aided by a big controversial late decision not to award the hosts a penalty.

The Reds move ahead of Tottenham into sixth with the win but remain six points off the top four having played more games, while the Hammers stay 14th, five points from safety.

Chelsea’s horror run continues

Scorers: Azpilicueta (OG) 37′, Mbeumo 77′

Chelsea’s woes under interim boss Frank Lampard continued as they fell to their fifth successive defeat since he took over from Graham Potter.

They fell behind on 37 minutes as corner from the left was met by a miscued César Azpilicueta header which saw the ball find the far corner of this own net.

For another 77 minutes, the Bees failed to register a shot on target until Bryan Mbeumo popped up to double their lead and spark a furious rage around Stamford Bridge as he broke down the right at pace and cut inside before planting past Kepa at his near post to wrap up the win.

Rumoured incoming Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino can’t arrive quick enough as they fell eight points behind the Bees, who sit ninth, in the standings.

Forest out of drop zone with big comeback

Scorers: Groß (OG) 45+3′, Danilo 68′, Gibbs White (PEN) 90+2′; Buonanotte 38′

Nottingham Forest came from behind against high-flying Brighton to pick up a massive win in their fight for Premier League survival.

With nine minutes on the clock, a Pervis Estupiñan foul in the area gave the hosts a penalty when he brought down by Neco Williams but Jason Steele saved Brennan Johnson’s effort to his right.

And the Seagulls made the most of that let-off seven minutes before half-time through Facundo Buonanotte, who turned in from close range after Navas spilled a Solly March attempt in a dangerous area, for a debut goal – he’s unlikely to get an easier one.

That advantage lasted until deep into stoppage time in the first half when Renan Lodi scrambled in with a deflected strike which Steele couldn’t keep out despite getting a hand to it, with it ultimately credited as an own goal from Pascal Groß.

On 68 minutes, Forest completed the turnaround when they responded well to losing two players to injury by capitalising on some slack Brighton play, allowing Danilo to collect a Taiwo Awoniyi pass and finish emphatically.

And they made sure of a huge win in the second minute of an additional 10 when Morgan Gibbs-White assumed penalty duties and succeeded where Johnson had earlier missed for the victory.

Forest rise out of the drop zone with the win, while the Seagulls stay eighth.

Thursday’s fixtures