Manchester City kept the heat on Arsenal in the race for the Premier League title with a dramatic 2-1 win over Liverpool, and the next few weeks are set to be crucial
15:38, 09 Feb 2026
Erling Haaland shoots during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield.
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Erling Haaland scored a late penalty to secure all three points for Man City vs Liverpool(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Manchester City has narrowed the gap with Arsenal in the Premier League title chase once again, thanks to a thrilling 2-1 comeback win against Liverpool.
City were seeking to respond to the Gunners' resounding 3-0 triumph over Sunderland the previous Saturday, but Anfield and champions Liverpool proved to be tough obstacles. After an underwhelming first half, the match ignited upon resumption.
A 74th-minute Dominik Szoboszlai strike had City trailing, but they dramatically upended the match with two goals within six minutes, courtesy of Bernardo Silva and a composed Erling Haaland penalty. However, the climax was far from over.
Pep Guardiola reacts during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield.
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Man City won a dramatic match against Liverpool at Anfield(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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In the dying moments, what seemed like City's third goal, which would have sealed a commanding 3-1 win, was disallowed following a VAR review for a Haaland foul on Szoboszlai, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Szoboszlai was subsequently issued a straight red card for pulling back Haaland as he bore down on goal. The victory narrows City's gap with Arsenal to six points, indicating that the coming weeks will be pivotal in the championship battle.
Here's a rundown of the top three teams' upcoming fixtures:
Declan Rice of Arsenal runs with the ball during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Sunderland
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Arsenal are six points clear at the top(Image: (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images))
Arsenal (1st, 56 points)
- Away vs Brentford - Thursday, February 12 (8 pm).
- Home vs Wigan - Sunday, February 15 (4:30 pm), FA Cup.
- Away vs Wolves - Wednesday, February 18 (8 pm).
- Away vs Tottenham - Sunday, February 22 (4:30 pm).
- Home vs Chelsea - Sunday, March 1 (4:30 pm).
The highlight of the fixtures is the North London Derby against Tottenham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, followed by a tough match against a revitalized Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.
Erling Haaland (C) celebrates after scoring the winner against Liverpool at Anfield
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Man City have managed to keep themselves in the title race(Image: AFP or licensors)
Man City (2nd place, 50 points)
vs Fulham (A) - Wednesday, February 11 (7.30pm).
vs Salford City (H) - Saturday, February 14 (3pm) - FA Cup.
vs Newcastle (H) - Saturday, February 21 (8pm).
vs Leeds (A) - Saturday, February 28 (5.30pm).
vs Nottingham Forest (H) - Wednesday, March 4 (7.30pm).
On the face of it, City seems to have the most manageable run of fixtures, with matches against teams in the lower half of the table.
Aston Villa's English striker #18 Tammy Abraham celebrates after scoring their first goal but it is later disallowed for the ball being out of play earlier in the build-up during the English Premier League football match between Aston Villa and Brentford at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England on February 1, 2026. (Photo by Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications.
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Aston Villa have been punching above their weight(Image: Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images)
Aston Villa (3rd place, 47 points)
vs Brighton (H) - Wednesday, February 11 (7.30pm).
vs Newcastle (H) - Saturday, February 14 (5.45pm) - FA Cup.
vs Leeds (H) - Saturday, February 21 (7.30pm).
vs Wolves (A) - Friday, February 27 (8pm).
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vs Chelsea (H) - Wednesday, March 4 (7.30pm).
Villa's home form could be pivotal in the coming weeks, with four out of five matches taking place at Villa Park. They'll need to capitalize on this to narrow the gap.