Premier League: Man City stumble in title race as Arsenal and Liverpool run riots
Rodri’s late equaliser extended Manchester City’s year-long unbeaten record at home but a 1-1 draw against Chelsea on Saturday handed Liverpool and Arsenal a huge boost in the Premier League title race.
Raheem Sterling gave Chelsea a first-half lead on his return to the Etihad and City were headed to a first defeat on home soil for 34 games until Rodri’s deflected effort seven minutes from time.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men have often saved their best performances for the biggest challenges during a difficult season for the Blues.
Chelsea took points off all three title contenders at home earlier in the season and finally produced a counter-attacking display on the road that offers Pochettino hope ahead of next weekend’s League Cup final against Liverpool.
An unexpected point lifts Chelsea back into the top half of the table and within six points of the top six.
City move four points behind leaders Liverpool and two adrift of Arsenal, but have a game in hand on both their title rivals.
Mikel Arteta saluted Arsenal’s relentless drive as the Premier League title chasers crushed Burnley 5-0 to keep the pressure on leaders Liverpool.
Just hours after Liverpool won 4-1 at Brentford, Arteta’s side ran riot at Turf Moor to make it five successive league wins.
The north Londoners are in second place, two points behind Liverpool as they chase a first Premier League crown since 2004.
Arsenal have been in ruthless mood since returning from a winter training camp in Dubai.
They thrashed Crystal Palace 5-0, won 2-1 at Nottingham Forest, beat Liverpool 3-1 and demolished West Ham 6-0 before putting lowly Burnley to the sword.
Martin Odegaard opening the scoring inside four minutes and Bukayo Saka’s brace was complemented by Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz strikes in the latest flexing of Arsenal’s muscle in front of goal.
Mohamed Salah returned in style with a goal in Liverpool’s 4-1 rout of Brentford as the Premier League leaders survived a rash of injuries to step up their title charge.
Salah came off the bench to replace the injured Diogo Jota in his first Liverpool appearance since their win over Newcastle on New Year’s Day.
Having returned from the hamstring injury he sustained on Egypt duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, Salah made up for lost time with his first goal for the Reds since the Newcastle game.
The 31-year-old’s 19th goal in all competitions this term put Liverpool on course for a sixth win in their last seven league games.
The much-maligned Darwin Nunez had given Jurgen Klopp’s side the lead with a sublime chip late in the first half at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Alexis Mac Allister doubled Liverpool’s advantage after the interval with just his second goal this season.
Ivan Toney got one back for Brentford, but Cody Gakpo netted in the closing stages as Liverpool moved five points clear at the top.
While the victory was valuable for Klopp, it came with a downside as first-half injuries to Jota and Curtis Jones added to Liverpool’s increasingly packed treatment room.
Nunez didn’t come back out for the second half either, although whether that was tactical or due to injury was unclear.
With the League Cup final against Chelsea looming on 25 February and Liverpool also competing in the FA Cup and Europa League, the injuries could derail Klopp’s hopes of a trophy-filled farewell season.
