Arsenal’s title hopes suffered a massive blow on Thursday morning when Manchester City crushed it 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
This means the Citizens are now only two points behind Arsenal, with two games in hand, and could go top for the first since November when they travel to Fulham on Sunday (9pm). Arsenal plays Chelsea on Wednesday (3am).
Arsenal has only collected three points from its last four matches, with the loss in Manchester coming after draws against Liverpool, West Ham and, most damaging of all, last-placed Southampton.
City, meanwhile, has won its last seven league games to move closer to a hat trick of league titles, and fifth in six years.
More importantly, it also has a chance to win a treble as it has already qualified for the final of the FA Cup and meets Real Madrid in the semifinals of the Champions League next month.
Manchester United is the only English club to win those three trophies in the same season.
City’s scoring machine, Erling Haaland, broke the Premier League 38-game record when he netted the fourth against Arsenal.
The Norwegian superstar now has 33 goals from 31 league games. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah set the previous record of 32 goals in 2017-2018.
Haaland should break the 34-goal record set by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, back when Premier League teams played 42 matches a season.
Elsewhere, West Ham’s mini-revival ended with a 2-1 loss to Liverpool on Thursday.
The Hammers are 14th with 34 points and need another six points from their remaining six games to secure another season in the top flight.
While West Ham’s domestic form has been less than impressive, it has qualified for the semifinals of the Europa Conference League, where it faces Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.
The London club’s boss David Moyes hopes West Ham’s European adventure boosts its domestic form, starting when it faces Crystal Palace tomorrow (7.30pm).
Moyes celebrated his 60th birthday on Tuesday. His only trophies as manager came with Preston North End (Second Division title in 2000) and Manchester United (Community Shield in 2013).
He guided West Ham to the Europa Conference semifinal last season and hopes to finally win a major title this year.
FIXTURES (Malaysian time)
SATURDAY
Crystal Palace vs West Ham (7.30pm)
Brighton vs Wolves (10pm)
Brentford vs Nottingham Forest (10pm)
SUNDAY
Manchester United vs Aston Villa (9pm)
Fulham vs Manchester City (9pm)
Bournemouth vs Leeds (9pm)
Newcastle vs Southampton (9pm)
Liverpool vs Tottenham (11.30pm)
TUESDAY
Leicester vs Everton (3am)
WEDNESDAY
Arsenal vs Chelsea (3am)
Main image: Manchester City FC
