Arsenal faced one of the most difficult matches of the remainder of the championship. He was visiting a Liverpool team that, despite its disappointing season, is still a tough nut to crack, and even more so at Anfield. The first part was one of those matches in the purest Premier style, with two teams playing with levels of intensity and precision that can only be seen in island football. The Gunners struck first through Martinelli and put land in the middle after half an hour with a goal from Gabriel Jesús. Before the break Salah closed the gap to do justice to what was seen on the pitch. During the second half, the Red fans understood that they had to give their boys extra encouragement. Anfield became a cauldron, Klopp’s men began to play better and the game became a siege on the Ramsdale goal. The English goalkeeper was the great hero of the match and saved the team from him with several worthwhile interventions, although he could do nothing to prevent Firmino’s goal late in the game. In this way, Arsenal leaves two points that can be decisive in the race for the title. Despite City’s 4-1 victory against Southampton, Arteta’s men maintain the lead, but if Guardiola’s men win their postponed match, they will reach the decisive match between the two with the possibility of placing in first position in case of victory .
In the rest of the day, the victories of United (2-0 against Everton) and Newcastle (1-2 against Brentford) stand out, keeping them tied on points for third and fourth place. From behind is Tottenham, who controversially beat Brighton (2-1). The defeat deals a heavy blow to the Seagulls’ European aspirations, although they still have two games less than most of their rivals.
Chelsea lost again in Frank Lampard’s first game as blue manager. The defeat, 1-0 against Wolves, is the umpteenth disappointment of the season for the London team. In the fight for salvation, the victories of Crystal Palace (1-5 against Leeds), West Ham (0-1 against Fulham) and Leicester’s defeat at home against Bournemouth (0-1), which leaves the foxes very touched.
A league:
The great beneficiary of the day in Italy is Lazio, who won the direct duel against Juventus (2-1) and maintains second place while watching their rivals move away. The second goal, the work of Zaccagni, was somewhat precious, a choral play by the Laziales, which shows how integrated Sarri’s game is with their footballers. Only their great rival, Roma, managed to win, 0-1 against Torino. Everyone else clicked. The two teams from Milan did not go beyond a draw against modest teams, Inter 1-1 against Salernitana and Milan 0-0 against Empoli. The league season for both teams is frankly disappointing and there is a possibility that at least one of the two will not play in the Champions League next season. Inter is fifth right now and its place in the Champions League is occupied by Mourinho’s Roma, which is third. Atalanta lost (0-2) against Bologna, although Gasperini’s men can console themselves with the Juventus defeat, which maintains the distance of four points between the two.
The swords continue in style in the fight for the title in Germany. Both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern won their games, precisely against their rivals immediately lower in the table. Edin Terzic’s men beat Unión 2-0, burying the already meager league options of the Berlin team, while Bayern took revenge on Freiburg (0-1), which had knocked them out of the cup this week. The defeat of the Black Forest team deprives them of their Champions League position where Leipzig now stands, who beat Hertha 0-1. But the fittest team in Germany is none of those mentioned, but Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen, who beat Eintracht 3-1 and snatches their European place. There are five consecutive victories for the aspirin team, which, if it continues at this rate, is a clear candidate to enter the Champions League.
Ligue 1:
Only Lens is already following in the footsteps of PSG. In the match that closed the day in France, Marseille did not go beyond a goalless draw against Lorient and bury their chances of reaching the Parisians. Galtier’s men had played on Saturday, and beat Nice 2-0, Didier Digard’s first defeat since he took charge of the Côte d’Azur team. The day was opened precisely by Lens, who beat Strasbourg 2-1 and slept for a night just three points away from the leader. In the fight for Europe, Lyon is the great beneficiary, since they won the direct duel against Stade Rennais (3-1) and their other rival, Lille, surprisingly lost against Angers (1-0), bottom of the board. Monaco drew 2-2 against Nantes, although they still maintain a comfortable distance from fifth place. He missed, yes, the opportunity to tie on points with Marseille in the fight for that third place that allows them to play the previous phase of the Champions League.
