Manchester City kept the pressure on Arsenal at the summit of the Premier League with a clinical 3-0 victory over Brentford on Saturday.
With only three games remaining in the season, the win allows Pep Guardiola’s side to close within two points of the Gunners, who face a challenging fixture against West Ham on Sunday.
Following a dramatic draw at Everton earlier in the week, the defending champions could not afford any further setbacks in their quest for a seventh title in nine years.
A disciplined Brentford side managed to frustrate the hosts for the first hour of the match before Jeremy Doku broke the deadlock with a curled effort into the top corner.
Erling Haaland doubled the lead with a clever backheel, moving four goals clear of Brentford’s Igor Thiago in the race for the Golden Boot.
Haaland later turned provider for Omar Marmoush, who added a third goal in stoppage time. Manager Pep Guardiola noted that while the final outcome is not entirely in their hands, the team remains focused on doing their job and waiting for the results of their rivals.
Frustration at Anfield as Liverpool held
In another significant fixture, Liverpool inched closer to Champions League qualification but were booed by their own supporters following a 1-1 draw against a struggling Chelsea side.
The Reds enjoyed a perfect start when Ryan Gravenberch found the net in the sixth minute with a powerful strike.
However, Chelsea responded in the 35th minute when a free-kick from Enzo Fernandez evaded the defence and found the bottom corner.
Despite the negative reaction from the Anfield crowd at the final whistle, manager Arne Slot expressed confidence in the future, promising a completely different team next season following planned summer reinforcements.
The result leaves Liverpool four points ahead of sixth-placed Bournemouth with two games left to play. For Chelsea, the draw means they can no longer mathematically finish in the top five, as they remain stationary in ninth place.
Elsewhere, Manchester United played out a scoreless draw against Sunderland, having already secured their place in next season’s Champions League.
Red card drama in European race
Bournemouth continued their push for a historic European qualification with a 1-0 win over Fulham in a match that saw both teams reduced to 10 men.
Following VAR reviews late in the first half, Bournemouth’s Ryan Christie and Fulham’s Joachim Andersen were both sent off for rash challenges.
The visitors secured the three points in the 53rd minute thanks to a fine finish from Brazilian teenager Rayan.
The win keeps the Cherries in contention for a high finish, while Brighton also stayed in the hunt for European football with a dominant 3-0 victory over Wolves.
Brighton took the lead within 37 seconds through Jack Hinshelwood, with Lewis Dunk and Yankuba Minteh adding further goals to complete the rout.
The race for the top six remains intense, as final standings and European tournament outcomes could still impact Champions League qualification spots for the upcoming season.
