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It was a thrilling Wednesday evening of Premier League action, as we saw multiple heavyweights face each other in matches that could go some way to ironing out the title race, the top four and everything beyond that.
Liverpool extended their lead top of the Premier League with a win against their Carabao Cup final opponents Newcastle United, Manchester United were made to sweat it out to defeat Ipswich Town, Arsenal failed to score against a vibrant Nottingham Forest, and Manchester City got it done with a close win over Tottenham Hotspur.
As the dust settles on a wild night of Premier League action, our ESPN FC reporters take a look at the biggest talking points.
Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle: League leaders breeze to win to extend lead to 13 points
LIVERPOOL, England — As news of Arsenal’s goalless draw with Nottingham Forest filtered through to Anfield, the Kop launched into a rousing rendition of “We’re Gonna Win The League.”
With Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Newcastle United moving the Reds 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League table on Wednesday night, it now seems as if it’s a matter of when, rather than if, that prophecy is fulfilled.
There may still be more than a quarter of the season left to play, but there was already a celebratory atmosphere on Merseyside as goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister helped Arne Slot’s side brush aside Eddie Howe’s men with all the style and swagger of champions-elect.
Slot watched the contest from the director’s box, having been served with a two-match touchline ban by the Football Association after his red card in the Merseyside derby on Feb. 12. But while there was a change of personnel in the dugout — assistant coach and former Everton defender John Heitinga deputised in Slot’s absence — there was no drop-off in performance on the pitch.
From the first whistle, Liverpool looked in control, with their opponent blunted by the absence of in-form striker Alexander Isak. The hosts took the lead inside 11 minutes when Szoboszlai’s tame finish wriggled under Nick Pope after a fine run down the left from the lively Luis Díaz.
Callum Wilson, making his first Premier League start of the season for Newcastle, spurned a glorious chance to restore parity after being played through on goal later in the first half, but his effort curled agonisingly wide of the post.
It only helped to reinforce the notion that this was Liverpool’s night, and so it proved when Mac Allister made sure of the victory after the break. The Argentina international curled brilliantly past Pope after some nifty footwork from Mohamed Salah who, even without scoring, caused plenty of problems for the Newcastle defence.
Ahead of the match, Slot had urged supporters to keep their expectations high.
“We do not just want you to dream, we need you to dream,” the Dutchman wrote in his programme notes.
“This is a big part of what makes this club so special because it challenges the players and the staff to do everything that we possibly can to be the best that we can be.”
Certainly, there could be no denying supporters were in dreamland on Wednesday night as they rattled through the Liverpool songbook, delivering lung-busting choruses of “And Now You’re Gonna Believe Us” and “Hand It Over, Manchester.”
Newcastle’s visit to Anfield marked the end of a gruelling run of five games in 15 days for Liverpool. For weeks, this spell has been billed as the stretch in which the title would be won or lost, and, having picked up 11 points from a possible 15, the prospect of Slot’s side delivering a record-equaling 20th league title this term now seems likelier than ever.
And now you’re gonna believe us? Surely now, there can be no doubting that this is Liverpool’s year. — Beth Lindop
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal: Gunners’ title push fizzles out thanks to same old mistakes
NOTTINGHAM, England — Arsenal have turned into one of those Christmas toys when the batteries start to run out. They go round and round in circles, doing the same thing over again until they hit the wall and fizzle out completely.
That’s where Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are in this season’s Premier League title race. Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat against West Ham United was a huge blow to their hopes of catching leaders Liverpool, but after failing to score again in a 0-0 draw against third-place Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, Arsenal can forget about the title for another year — just as they have had to do every year for the past two decades.
Nobody can deny that injuries have bitten hard into Arteta’s squad and left them with almost nothing in the attacking department. Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are both out until next season with long-term injuries and Bukayo Saka is unlikely to return from his three-month layoff until after the March international break.
But after enjoying 65% possession against Forest, Arsenal managed only one effort on target and it was painful to watch Arteta’s side perform like a blunt object as they attempted to keep their faint title hopes alive by winning the game.
In the absence of Havertz, Jesus and Saka, Arteta is deploying midfielder Mikel Merino as a false nine, but the Spain international spent enough of the game far enough forward to be classed as a centre-forward.
But Arsenal’s tactics remained the same: pass, pass, pass, usually sideways, and then hope for a corner from which to exploit their apparent expertise in the set-piece department. Merino’s aerial ability is no secret, but Arsenal continued to play the ball on the ground and refused to go direct to find the breakthrough.
Their passing wasn’t working and Forest comfortably dealt with every one of Arsenal’s 11 corners, so where was the variety?
Arteta has done an incredible job reviving Arsenal during his five years in charge — the Gunners were drifting into obscurity when he arrived — but they seem to have hit an impasse. The Spaniard needs to find a way to make things happen as the top coaches do. He needs to be more pragmatic and more willing to abandon his principles when the circumstances dictate.
But there is no sign of that happening and Arsenal are drifting out of the title race and could even be in danger of being dragged into a fight for a UEFA Champions League spot if they are unable to escape their malaise.
With the fifth position likely to be enough for a Champions League spot in the Premier League to secure a UCL berth, Arsenal’s 10-point cushion should be enough to keep sixth-place Newcastle at bay.
But it’s the 13-point gap between themselves and leaders Liverpool that should concern them most as Arsenal should never have been so far behind the pacesetters this season. — Mark Ogden
LONDON — Where there’s Haaland, there’s hope. It took Erling Haaland just 12 minutes to score on his return to the starting lineup as Manchester City edged past Spurs 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to move back into the top four.
The Norway international’s 28th goal of the season in all competitions was a typically clinical finish, dispatching Jérémy Doku‘s cross inside Guglielmo Vicario‘s near post.
It was, in truth, the only sign of clinical finishing on show all evening as City spurned a raft of chances to put this game to bed before half-time with Savinho the biggest culprit — and Haaland himself could not beat Vicario from six yards with the goal at his mercy at the half-hour mark.
Ultimately — after another nervy second-half showing from City — it did not matter. Haaland’s 20th Premier League goal of the season made him the second player to surpass that figure in his first three seasons. Ruud Van Nistelrooy did so for Manchester United from 2001 to 2004.
He also equalled Harry Kane‘s record of scoring 10 or more goals at home and 10 or more away across three consecutive seasons. Haaland obviously gives City greater potency in their attack but his contribution was still not enough to mask the fragility that has become a feature of their football in recent months.
Spurs were dreadful in the first half but gradually roused themselves as the second period wore on with Pep Guardiola reduced to crouching on one knee in the technical area in hope rather than expectation that his team would repel the home side.
There might come a point when manager Ange Postecoglou — as much as he would probably not admit it — will prioritise the Europa League over the Premier League given they are languishing in 13th place — and perhaps in hindsight, this was it.
Starting without Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min and Djed Spence — their three best players against Ipswich Town last weekend — was to manage their load for the weeks ahead rather than in a sincere belief the starting lineup he selected was the strongest available.
That rotation no doubt contributed to the slow start and, as has often been the case this season, they left it too late to rally. Haaland almost had the final word, scoring in stoppage time with a powerful run and finish only for the officials to rule he had handled in the build-up.
There was still time for City to implode. Spurs raced up the field and substitute Pape Matar Sarr headed over from close range with Guardiola almost in disbelief on the sidelines.
Instead, Haaland was the match-winner and City were able to solidify their position in the Champions League spots ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round game against Plymouth Argyle. — James Olley
MANCHESTER, England — It was a big win for Manchester United against Ipswich Town, particularly after conceding an early goal and playing for more than 45 minutes with 10 men.
But if the pressure on Ruben Amorim has eased ever so slightly, it’s ramping up on André Onana.
The goalkeeper played his part in Jaden Philogene‘s opener after only four minutes when his miscommunication with Patrick Dorgu led to the simplest of chances. Ipswich’s second goal wasn’t much better. Philogene whipped in a hopeful cross from the right and Onana was left stationary as it drifted into the far corner without a touch from anyone.
It’s a familiar story. Abdoulaye Doucouré was able to score for Everton on Saturday after Onana could only parry a shot into the air. A similar situation led to Everton’s penalty — eventually overturned — in stoppage time and Tottenham’s winner a week earlier.
With United holding on against Ipswich, Onana punted a goal kick straight down the middle of the pitch. As it landed at the feet of an Ipswich defender, inviting another attack, both Amorim and Bruno Fernandes threw their hands into the air. It was another poor decision on a night of poor decisions.
There’s growing clamour to drop Onana. It will increase further after his performance against Ipswich, but it’s unlikely Amorim will act.
Second choice Altay Bayindir is injured and hasn’t featured in the matchday squad since a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at the beginning of February. Amorim named two young goalkeepers on the bench against Ipswich — Elyh Harrison and Hubert Graczyk — but neither of them are ready for first-team football.
It’s possible Bayindir could be in goal for the FA Cup tie against Fulham on Saturday after being promised he would play in the cup games at the start of the season by former boss Erik ten Hag, but it will depend on the Turkey international proving his fitness in the next three days.
The more likely scenario is that Onana continues, and United fans continue to feel nerves anytime the ball goes near him.
At least the mood around the club will brighten after just their second home league win of 2025. Fernandes impressed again in midfield and all three United goals came from his set pieces. Two from corners and one from a free kick.
United’s past six goals have all come from Fernandes set pieces. It’s a vital tool, especially when they’re struggling to create clear-cut chances from open play. It was another frustrating night for Rasmus Højlund and Dorgu is facing a suspension following his red card.
Along with Onana’s form, there are still plenty of problems for Amorim to solve. But he will enjoy his drive in Carrington a little more Thursday morning after watching his team come up with a battling performance in a game they had to win.
Moving up to 14th in the table isn’t much to celebrate, but it’s at least a step in the right direction. — Rob Dawson