Antoine Semenyo struck the all-important goal as Manchester City clinched a 1-0 win over Leeds United at Elland Road and moved back within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Erling Haaland was unable to feature in the city of his birth after suffering an injury in training, and though Pep Guardiola’s side initially struggled without the Norwegian, they battled to a fourth straight league victory.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Brenden Aaronson missed glorious opportunities during the early stages, but Manchester City survived that pressure and gradually took control. Their winner arrived in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, with Semenyo tucking past Karl Darlow after incisive play from Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Jaka Bijol missed Leeds’ best chance to equalise, and the hosts’ head coach Daniel Farke was shown a red card after he confronted the officials at full-time. His team stay six points clear of the relegation zone in 15th, while City will be interested viewers when Arsenal host Chelsea on Sunday.
Liverpool earn 5-2 win over West Ham United
Liverpool scored three goals from corners in the first half as they earned a thrilling 5-2 victory over West Ham United at Anfield.
Despite a lively West Ham performance, Liverpool’s set-piece prowess helped them move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United in the Premier League table.
Hugo Ekitike struck in the fifth minute, before Virgil van Dijk scored with a towering header and Alexis Mac Allister adjusted brilliantly to net with the outside of his right boot.
Tomas Soucek and Valentin Castellanos were on target in the second half, but a deflected Cody Gakpo strike and an own goal from Axel Disasi ensured Liverpool’s three-goal advantage held.
While Liverpool climb one place to fifth, West Ham remain 18th and two points adrift of Nottingham Forest.
Damsgaard scores winner for Brentford
At Turf Moor, Mikkel Damsgaard’s stoppage-time winner broke Burnley’s hearts as a relieved Brentford snatched a dramatic 4-3 victory. Burnley had produced an inspired comeback from 3-0 down to level at 3-3 and were denied a possible winner when Zian Flemming had a goal overturned for offside in the 78th minute.
The Clarets’ agony was only compounded when Damsgaard put Brentford ahead in stoppage time instead. But back came Burnley and Ashley Barnes thought he had equalised in the eighth minute of stoppage time, but goal was also overturned for an accidental handball.
Damsgaard, Igor Thiago and Kevin Schade were on target as Brentford went three goals up inside 34 minutes, but Burnley pulled one back before half-time through Michael Kayode’s own goal.
Jaidon Anthony’s deflected shot and a header from Flemming completed the fightback, only for Damsgaard to spare the Bees’ blushes in the second minute of stoppage time.
Burnley remain 19th, six points behind 18th-placed West Ham United, while Brentford, in seventh, move five points off the top four.
Everton pull off a thriller against Newcastle United
Everton edged a five-goal thriller against Newcastle United, with Jordan Pickford’s incredible save in stoppage time securing the victory. Jarrad Branthwaite headed Everton in front in the 19th minute, and following Jacob Ramsey’s deflected leveller for the Magpies, Beto restored the Toffees’ lead two minutes after.
Beto missed a golden chance to put Everton 3-1 up, and Newcastle made their luck count in the 82nd minute when Jacob Murphy’s strike deflected in, only for Thierno Barry to bundle home 74 seconds later, with Pickford proving the Toffees hero when he kept out Sandro Tonali’s venomous volley.
In snapping a two-game losing run, Everton are up into eighth, four points above Newcastle, who remain 12th after back-to-back league defeats.
Evanilson earns a draw for Bournemouth
Evanilson came off the bench to earn AFC Bournemouth a 1-1 draw with Sunderland, extending the Cherries’ unbeaten run to eight Premier League matches.
Iraola introduced Evanilson as a half-time substitute, after Bournemouth fell behind when Eliezer Mayenda finished from close range. In the 63rd minute, the change paid off, with Evanilson on hand to meet Marcus Tavernier’s wicked delivery.
Sunderland thought they had restored their advantage when Lutsharel Geertruida had the ball in the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Bournemouth remain eighth, while Sunderland are two points and three places back, having stopped the rot after three straight defeats.
Wanderers stun Aston Villa
Joao Gomes and Rodrigo Gomes helped Premier League’s bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers stun Aston Villa with a 2-0 derby win at Molineux and avoided an unwanted record.
Villa travelled across the West Midlands in need of a positive result after losing momentum in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification or even the title, but their poor form continued as Wolves battled to a deserved victory in wet conditions.
Joao Gomes put Rob Edwards’ side ahead in the 61st minute, crashing a shot in off the underside of the crossbar after strong work from Jackson Tchatchoua and Adam Armstrong. And after Yerson Mosquera’s goalline block denied Villa a stoppage-time equaliser, Rodrigo Gomes killed the contest by finishing on the turn following a rapid counter-attack.
The result – only Wolves’ second win of the season – took them to 13 points, meaning Rob Edwards’ side exceeded Derby County’s record for the fewest points in a Premier League campaign, 11 in 2007/08.
Villa stay third, but now could be overtaken if Manchester United beat Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Sunday.
