The Easter matchday weekend did not disappoint with a number of potentially season-defining moments across the board in the Premier League. Here’s a look at some of the biggest.
By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert
The Anfield Factor
Arsenal haven’t beaten Liverpool at Anfield since September 2012. All of the talk heading into this game was about how a win on Merseyside would be enough to get them over the line in the race for the title.
It looked as though it might happen. The Gunners had silenced Anfield after 28 minutes, taking a 2-0 lead courtesy of goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus. Liverpool had chances but everything felt a little flat until a clash between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Granit Xhaka seemed to spark everyone into life. Mohammed Salah poked the ball beyond Aaron Ramsdale to halve the deficit before the break.
After the half-time whistle, it was all Liverpool. The Reds racked up an Expected Goals total in the second half of 2.88 to Arsenal’s 0.22. Salah missed a penalty before Roberto Firmino nodded in the equaliser. Ramsdale kept the leaders level with two late saves but Mikel Arteta won’t be happy with how his side lost control after the break. His usually resolute team gave up eight big chances. It was very much a tale of two halves.
The record is in sight
Manchester City are hitting their stride at the perfect time. Since returning from the international break, Pep Guardiola’s men have won both of their matches by the same 4-1 scoreline.
Erling Haaland had to watch from the sidelines last week as the reigning champions took Liverpool apart at the Etihad but he was leading the attack against Southampton. He put in a centre-forward clinic, scoring twice and having three shots despite only having 12 touches in total. His second was a stunning overhead kick which took his Premier League tally for the season to 30. He now needs just three more to break the existing record held by Salah and he has nine games to do it in.
The end of the Honeymoon Period
Wolves welcomed Chelsea to Molineux having won just once in their last seven outings in the Premier League. The Blues had been unlucky not to beat Liverpool in mid-week and would’ve no doubt fancied their chances against Julen Lopetegui’s men following the appointment of Frank Lampard as interim manager.
His return was supposed to reinvigorate this underperforming side. The one-time Everton boss changed the system – moving away from a back three shape and using a more recognised 4-3-3. While the Blues did have more shots and a slightly higher xG than their hosts, it is quite telling that they didn’t manage to carve out a single big chance.
Chelsea are now winless in four and there is a real possibility they finish in the bottom half of the table.
The battle for fourth
The clash between Spurs and Brighton was very much the definition of a real six-pointer. A win for the Seagulls would’ve lifted them to just a single point behind fifth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand.
Due to a number of questionable decisions during the game, however, Roberto De Zerbi’s men now find themselves seven points behind. The PGMOL have since admitted that Karou Mitoma should’ve been awarded a penalty when the game was tied at 1-1. Brighton also had two goals disallowed during the game as well as another potential penalty waved away before Harry Kane scored his 23rd of the season.
Aston Villa’s impressive run
Unai Emery has guided his team to four successive wins in the Premier League and Villa now find themselves in sixth position, just nine points outside of the top four.
Key to this resurgent run has been the form of Ollie Watkins. The centre-forward netted his 12th goal of the season in the win over Nottingham Forest. It was his ninth goal in his last 11 matches for Aston Villa across all competitions. He also has an assist in that period. The 27-year-old is well on course to better the 14 Premier League goals he scored in his debut campaign in the top-flight for Villa.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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