After two weeks of international break that had the World Cup qualifiers and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the Premier League returned last weekend.
There were no changes at the top, with City still on course for a third title in four years, but there were movements in the race for the top four.
Chelsea kicked off proceedings with their clash against West Brom while Wolves’ game against West Ham rounded up the weekend’s action.
And in its usual tradition, Freshsports review some of the matches played.
Thomas Tuchel Humbled: The German could not have hoped for a better start to his managerial reign at Chelsea, but he suffered a reality check on Saturday.
Tuchel was unbeaten going into the game against West Brom and had just won March’s player of the month, but Chelsea suffered a shocking 5-2 defeat at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The Blues started well courtesy of a strike from Christian Pulisic, but things went south for them moments later as Thiago Silva was sent off for a second bookable offence.
West Brom took advantage and scored five times to record an unlikely victory. It was a win that showed how things could change quickly in the Premier League.
The result took Chelsea out of the top four and gave Tuchel a reality check.
Spurs Failed To Take Advantage: Chelsea’s loss meant Tottenham had the chance to move into the top four. However, Spurs failed to take advantage as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Newcastle at St. James Park.
Jose Mourinho’s men were on course for a win after two quick Harry Kane strikes had cancelled Joelinton’s opener. But Joe Willock’s strike five minutes from time salvaged a point for the Magpies.
It was indeed a big opportunity missed for Spurs and put Mourinho under pressure. Having suffered a shock Europa League exit, anything short of a top-four finish could be fatal for the Portuguese tactician- although Spurs could also win their first trophy since 2008 if they beat Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.
West Ham Now A Dark Horse For The Top four Spot: While Spurs failed to take the opportunity, West Ham took full advantage by beating Wolves 3-2 at the Molineux to go above Chelsea.
Jesse Lingard was the star, scoring one and setting up another. The Hammers now occupy fourth place, one point ahead of Chelsea and three ahead of Spurs.
And with just nine games left, West Ham could be a dark horse in the race for the top four.
Liverpool Keep Up Momentum: It’s been a woeful title defence from Liverpool, but they are now back in the race for the top four. The Reds had won at Wolves before the international break to put a halt to four straight defeats.
And they kept the same momentum with an emphatic 3-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates. Jurgen Klopp’s men were dominated from start to finish and fully deserved their win against their lethargic opponents.
They are currently three points behind West Ham, but with eight games to go, they could make a late push.
Manchester City Now Four Wins Away: Manchester City maintained their 14 point lead at the top with a 2-0 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday evening.
The Citizens have been head and shoulders above others this season and are now just four wins away from a third Premier League title in four years. They could even win it in the next three games if Manchester United drop points during this period.
It’s only a matter of time before Pep’s men land their hands on the title.
