Arsenal guaranteed they would sit atop the Premier League table on Christmas Day after edging Everton 1-0, while Liverpool held their nerve late on to defeat nine-man Tottenham 2-1 in Saturday’s action-filled round of matches.
Manchester City briefly climbed to the summit earlier in the day after Erling Haaland struck twice in a comfortable 3-0 victory over West Ham, ensuring Pep Guardiola’s side remained firmly in the title race.
The Gunners reclaimed their two-point advantage later in the evening, though their win at Goodison Park was far from fluent. A Viktor Gyokeres penalty proved decisive in a contest dominated by controversy rather than attacking quality.
The match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium was punctuated by disputed penalty incidents. Arsenal felt aggrieved when appeals for a foul on Gyokeres were ignored moments before they were awarded a spot-kick for a Jake O’Brien handball, which the Swedish striker calmly converted.
After the interval, Leandro Trossard and Martin Zubimendi both rattled the woodwork for Mikel Arteta’s side, while Everton were incensed that two separate challenges on Thierno Barry inside the area failed to result in penalties.
City, meanwhile, kept the pressure firmly on Arsenal by extending their winning run to seven matches across all competitions. Despite the result, Guardiola made it clear that improvement remains essential if his side are to secure a seventh league crown during his reign.
“I want to be honest. I said to the players, ‘Merry Christmas everyone but it will not be enough if we don’t improve’.”
West Ham feared the worst almost immediately after Haaland fired City ahead inside five minutes. The Norwegian later teed up Tijjani Reijnders for his first Etihad goal just before the break and then added a third himself, bringing his tally for club and country this season to 38. The result temporarily lifted City one point clear of Arsenal.
Liverpool also played their part in the title picture by extending their unbeaten run to six matches and deepening the woes of Tottenham boss Thomas Frank. Spurs were reduced to 10 men after Xavi Simons’ reckless challenge on Virgil van Dijk, leaving the hosts with a daunting task.
With Mohamed Salah away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Alexander Isak began on the bench before being introduced at half-time by Arne Slot. The club’s £125 million signing scored only his third goal since arriving in September but was forced off with another injury concern soon after.
Hugo Ekitike doubled Liverpool’s lead with his fifth goal in three league outings, yet the visitors were left hanging on when Richarlison pulled one back late on.
“The thing in football is you always remember the last few minutes and they were the worst minutes of our total game,” Slot admitted. “It became very chaotic and hectic.”
A fifth home defeat in nine league games this season intensified scrutiny on Frank, compounded by captain Cristian Romero’s needless red card in stoppage time. Liverpool moved up to fifth, while Spurs languish in 13th.
Chelsea stayed fourth on goal difference after a spirited second-half recovery against Newcastle eased pressure on Enzo Maresca. Having won just once in five league matches, the Blues appeared destined for another setback after Nick Woltemade’s brace put the Magpies in command.
A sublime Reece James free-kick sparked Chelsea’s revival before Joao Pedro capitalised on a Malick Thiaw error to level matters.
Elsewhere, Wolves’ miserable campaign continued with a 2-0 home defeat to Brentford, leaving them winless and flirting with unwanted Premier League history. Burnley halted a seven-game losing run thanks to Armando Broja’s late equaliser at Bournemouth, while Leeds eased relegation fears with a 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace inspired by Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s brace. Sunderland climbed to sixth following a goalless draw at Brighton.
What you should know
This round of Premier League fixtures highlighted how finely balanced the title race remains heading into the festive period.
Arsenal’s narrow win ensured they lead the table at Christmas, but Manchester City’s relentless form continues to loom large. Liverpool’s resilience, even amid injuries and absences, keeps them within touching distance of the top four.
Further down the table, pressure is mounting on struggling sides like Tottenham and Wolves, while Chelsea’s inconsistency reflects broader uncertainty under Enzo Maresca. With fixtures piling up, squad depth and discipline are increasingly shaping the season’s trajectory.
