Manchester City is tightening the screws on Arsenal in the Premier League title race, proving they can win even without their star striker Erling Haaland! This past weekend's action was a rollercoaster, with City securing a crucial victory while Liverpool showed a dramatic turnaround in their set-piece performance.
Let's dive into the details of the Premier League wrap-up:
City's Gritty Win Without Haaland
Antoine Semenyo was the unlikely hero for Manchester City, firing them to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Leeds on Saturday. This win is massive because it allowed City to close the gap on league leaders Arsenal, all while Erling Haaland was sidelined due to an injury sustained in training.
Semenyo, who joined City in January from Bournemouth, scored his sixth goal for the club late in the first half at Elland Road. This crucial strike propelled second-placed City to within two points of Arsenal, who are set to face their London rivals, Chelsea, on Sunday.
This was City's fourth consecutive league win, a testament to their depth and resilience. Manager Pep Guardiola confirmed Haaland's absence was due to a "little injury" that wasn't serious enough for him to play. The club is hopeful he'll be fit for their upcoming match against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
But here's where it gets interesting: Remarkably, City actually boasts a better win ratio in the top-flight when Haaland isn't playing than when he is. While they weren't at their absolute best against Leeds, this gritty win in a hostile environment means the destiny of the title remains firmly in their own hands.
City are chasing their seventh Premier League title under Guardiola. If they manage to win their remaining 10 games, they will be crowned champions, regardless of Arsenal's results. Adding to their advantage, City will have a game in hand on Arsenal after this weekend and are scheduled to host the Gunners in April.
Liverpool's Set-Piece Revolution
Meanwhile, Liverpool has climbed into the top five of the Premier League standings thanks to a resounding 5-2 victory over a struggling West Ham. This win marks their fourth consecutive victory across all competitions.
What's truly astonishing is Liverpool's transformation in set-piece performance. At the end of 2025, they were among the worst in the league for set-pieces, but since January 1st, they have become the best! Manager Arne Slot commented, "In my opinion we have played better when we lost. We start scoring from set-pieces and things start looking brighter and better than when you don’t." This is a significant shift in their fortunes.
Goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk, and Alexis Mac Allister in the first half, all from set-pieces, set Liverpool on their way. Cody Gakpo and Jeremie Frimpong added further goals after the break. Despite the convincing scoreline, it's worth noting that the performance wasn't entirely flawless for the English champions.
This defeat is a tough blow for West Ham's survival hopes, leaving them two points adrift of safety. They did manage to pull back two goals in the second half through Tomas Soucek and Valentin Castellanos, and could have even scored more at Anfield.
Securing a top-five finish is now almost a certainty for Champions League qualification next season, thanks to the strong performances of English clubs in European competitions. Liverpool now holds a three-point lead over sixth-placed Chelsea, who face a challenging away match against Arsenal.
Burnley's Agonizing Defeat, Everton's Away Day Success
Burnley's slim chances of survival suffered a major setback in a dramatic 4-3 home defeat to Brentford. The Bees were in control, leading 3-0 within 34 minutes thanks to goals from Mikkel Damsgaard, Igor Thiago, and Kevin Schade. A Burnley own goal gave them a glimmer of hope before half-time, and they remarkably levelled the score through Jaidon Anthony and Zian Flemming. However, Flemming's potential match-winner was disallowed by VAR for offside. Brentford ultimately snatched the win in stoppage time with Damsgaard's second goal, and another VAR review controversially denied Burnley a point for a handball.
In another notable away performance, Everton secured a 3-2 victory at Newcastle, keeping their hopes of European football alive. Jarrod Branthwaite, Beto, and Thierno Barry were on the scoresheet for the Toffees. Newcastle now find themselves in 12th place, with their season's hopes resting on their Champions League and FA Cup campaigns.
Everton, despite struggling at their new home, have been excellent on the road, winning more away points than any team except Arsenal. This victory moves them up to eighth place.
Bournemouth extended their unbeaten league run to eight games with a 1-1 draw against Sunderland. Evanilson cancelled out Eliezer Mayenda's opener for the Black Cats.
What are your thoughts on Manchester City's ability to perform without Haaland? Is Liverpool's set-piece revival a sign of a genuine title challenge, or just a temporary boost? Let us know in the comments below!
