Manchester City took a big step in the Premier League title race with a hard-fought 2–1 win over Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

At the bottom end of the table, Nigeria’s Ola Aina helped Nottingham Forest ease their relegation fears with an important victory over Burnley.

City’s win cuts Arsenal’s lead at the top to just three points, with Pep Guardiola’s side still having a game in hand. It could prove a turning point in the race for the title.

The home side started well and went ahead in the 16th minute through Rayan Cherki. Arsenal responded almost immediately, with Kai Havertz scoring the equaliser just two minutes later to keep the contest open.

However, Erling Haaland showed his quality again in the second half, scoring the winning goal to hand City all three points. The Norwegian striker has now been directly involved in 30 league goals this season, underlining his importance to the champions.

The defeat is a setback for Arsenal, who have now lost back-to-back league matches for the first time this season. They have also lost four of their last six games in all competitions, raising concerns at a crucial stage of the campaign.

City, meanwhile, remain dominant at home against Arsenal, with Guardiola still unbeaten in Premier League home games against the Gunners.

Battle for survival

Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest boosted their chances of staying in the top flight with a convincing 4–1 win over Burnley. Super Eagles defender Ola Aina played the full 90 minutes in a solid performance as Forest came from behind to secure victory.

Morgan Gibbs-White scored a second-half hat-trick to turn the game around after Forest had gone behind before the break. The win moves Forest five points clear of the relegation zone, giving them breathing space with only a few matches left.

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For Nigeria, Aina’s strong display will be a welcome sign as he continues to play a key role in Forest’s survival push.

In another major game, Liverpool left it late to beat Everton 2–1 in the Merseyside derby. Mohamed Salah scored his ninth derby goal to equal a long-standing record, before Virgil van Dijk headed home a dramatic winner deep into stoppage time.

With the season nearing its end, the title race and relegation battle remain wide open, promising more drama in the weeks ahead.

Tunde Eludini

Tunde Eludini is a graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria where he studied International Relations. He is a Senior Correspondent coordinating the sports section for PREMIUM TIMES. Twitter: @tundeyeludini

Haaland scores as City beat Arsenal, Aina helps Nottingham Forest with big win

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