MANCHESTER, United Kingdom — Liverpool blinked in the Premier League title race in a dramatic 2-2 draw at Manchester United on Sunday to leave Arsenal still on top thanks to their superior goal difference.
The Gunners cruised to a 3-0 win at Brighton on Saturday, while Manchester City responded to conceding early at Crystal Palace to emerge 4-2 victors.
AFP Sports looks at where each of the contenders stand and how their run-ins compare.
Arsenal — 71 points (+51 goal difference)
The Gunners are getting ever closer to a first title in 20 years.
Mikel Arteta’s men have won 10 and drawn one, away to City, in their last 11 Premier League games and have also amassed what could be a crucial goal-difference lead across that run as well.
Just under a year ago, Arsenal’s title challenge was realistically ended by a humbling 3-0 home defeat to Brighton.
This weekend the roles were reversed as the visitors strolled to victory at the Amex in a further demonstration of their development over the past 12 months.
However, a run to the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years could prove a distraction and sap Arsenal’s energy.
They face Bayern Munich over the next two midweeks and will take on City or Real Madrid in the semifinals should they progress.
Tough away games at north London rivals Tottenham and at Manchester United also lie ahead, but Arsenal have reason to believe. The destiny of the title back in their own hands.
Fixtures to come:
April 14: Aston Villa (H)
April 20: Wolves (A)
April 23: Chelsea (H)
April 28: Tottenham (A)
May 4: Bournemouth (H)
May 11: Manchester United (A)
April 19: Everton (H)
Liverpool — 71 points (+42)
Liverpool suffered a case of deja vu at Old Trafford, just three weeks on from a 4-3 defeat there in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Once again, it was a case of missed opportunities and isolated moments of magic from United that may have denied their old rivals matching their record of 20 English top-flight titles.
Another tricky local derby awaits later this month away to Everton, while Liverpool face Champions League chasing Tottenham and Aston Villa in two of their final three games.
Fixtures to come:
April 14: Crystal Palace (H)
April 20: Fulham (A)
April 24: Everton (A)
April 27: West Ham (A)
May 5: Tottenham (H)
May 11: Aston Villa (A)
May 19: Wolves (H)
Manchester City — 70 points (+40)
City remain ominously poised in their quest to become the first side to win four consecutive English top-flight titles.
Kevin De Bruyne was handed the night off for Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa and showed the value of a rest as he scored twice and teed up Erling Haaland to end his goal drought at Palace.
The challenge of facing the mighty Real Madrid awaits Pep Guardiola’s men in the Champions League but they could barely have asked for a better fixture next weekend between those quarter-final ties than at home to Luton.
City appear to have the best run-in of the three contenders, but still need both their rivals to stumble down the final straight.
