Man City made to wait for title after astonishing United comeback
Paul Pogba struck twice in 97 second-half seconds as Jose Mourinho's side came from two goals down at half-time to spoil the party
Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United
For just over 50 minutes, this game looked like a fitting microcosm of the season to date: City were cruising to victory without having to start Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero or Gabriel Jesus, and looked to have wrapped things up within half an hour. First, Vincent Kompany thundered home a header from a corner after 25 minutes, harking back to his title-defining goal in April 2012 which helped the Citizens topple United the first time around.
Then, before Jose Mourinho's side – relatively solid up to that opener – could catch breath, Ilkay Gundogan had made it two five minutes later. It was a goal typical of City's season so far; a flowing move which led to Raheem Sterling playing in the German, who spun Nemanja Matic beautifully before slotting beyond a helpless David de Gea. And it should have been more – legitimately at least four, had Gundogan and Sterling not squandered glorious opportunities before City's collapse.
United's fightback was as unlikely as it was amazing. After an anonymous first half, Paul Pogba struck twice in 97 seconds. First, the blue-haired Frenchman burst into the box to finish off a lovely United move involving Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera, and then stunned an expectant home crowd moments later by heading in a fine Sanchez cross. Remarkably, there was more to come with 20 minutes remaining when Chris Smalling – at fault for Kompany's opener – sidefooted United's third unmarked from a free-kick; Sanchez the architect once again.
Clearly this was United's day: with 10 minutes left, City were denied a stonewall penalty when Ashley Young hacked down sub Aguero. Then, as the clock ticked into injury time, De Gea pulled off a sensational save to deny Aguero, before Sterling hit a post from the resulting corner.
Guardiola's side will have to wait until at least next weekend, then – most likely later – but first there's the small matter of a Champions League mountain to climb in three days' time.
Goals: Kompany 25', Gundogan 30' -- Pogba 53', 55', Smalling 69'
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Everton 0-0 Liverpool
Everton rallied late to threaten victory at Goodison Park, but ultimately this was a disappointing Merseyside derby that fell victim to Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final participation. With the second leg to come next week, Jurgen Klopp rested Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson and Roberto Firmino, while Mo Salah was left out altogether through injury.
It was one of the stand-ins, Dominic Solanke, who came closest to scoring for Liverpool in the first half, but saw his close-range snapshot denied by the excellent Jordan Pickford. At the other end, Loris Karius was on hand with a stunning stop to keep out Yannick Bolasie.
Both goalkeepers were mostly spectators in a poor game, however, and it wasn't until the final five minutes when an unambitious Everton side kicked on in search of victory. Cenk Tosun went agonisingly close minutes before the end, as did substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but the spoils were shared.
Bournemouth 2-2 Crystal Palace
Bournemouth twice came from behind to claim a late, late draw against Crystal Palace at the Vitality Stadium.
Luka Milivojevic netted his third goal in as many matches with a superb 25-yard free-kick straight after half-time, but Bournemouth hit back shortly after the hour mark when Lys Mousset – on the pitch for a matter of seconds as a substitute – bent a lovely effort from the edge of the area into the bottom corner.
Palace, though, didn't give up and restored their lead 15 minutes from time when Zaha weaved his magic. The Eagles' star man embarrassed Bournemouth's backline as they tried to shut him out, and then fired an effort at goal which took a deflection beyond Asmir Begovic.
But it wasn't to be for Roy Hodgson's side, who watched a five-point advantage above the drop zone cut to three when Josh King struck a cruel 89th-minute equaliser.
Goals: Mousset 65', King 89' -- Milivojevic 47', Zaha 75'
Brighton 1-1 Huddersfield
Ten-man Brighton clung on for a draw that suits them much better than Huddersfield, whose top-flight future still hangs in the balance.
The two sides swapped quickfire goals before half-time. Brighton took the lead after half an hour following a mistake from visiting goalkeeper Jonas Lossl, who was positioned badly to stop Solly March's shot and paid the price as the ball came back off the post and onto him for an own goal. But within four minutes, Huddersfield had an equaliser thanks to an even worse blunder from Shane Duffy, who didn't spot Steve Mounie and played in the Benin striker with a suicidal backpass.
Once again, though, the Terriers couldn't take advantage of an extra player after Brighton's Davy Propper was shown a straight red with 16 minutes remaining after a 50/50 challenge with Jonathan Hogg.
Goals: Lossl o.g. 29' -- Mounie 33' • Red card: Propper 74'
Leicester 1-2 Newcastle
Newcastle took a giant stride towards Premier League survival with a deserved victory over Leicester at the King Power Stadium.
Jonjo Shelvey opened the scoring early in the first half for Newcastle, finishing off a sweeping counter-attack with a lovely finish on the edge of the box after selling Harry Maguire and Wes Morgan with a clever dummy.
Rafa Benitez set his team up brilliantly to frustrate Leicester for the entire match, but the Foxes were their own worst enemy for most of this game. With 15 minutes remaining they shipped a second goal after failing to deal with a long ball, letting Ayoze Perez lob Kasper Schmeichel – in no-man's land – from distance.
Jamie Vardy pulled one back from close range six minutes from time, but it was too little too late for Claude Puel's side on home turf.
Goals: Vardy 84' -- Shelvey 18', Perez 75'
Stoke 1-2 Tottenham
Tottenham demonstrated their credentials for a second-place finish once again, as Christian Eriksen scored twice to earn them a victory which leaves Stoke four points adrift of safety.
After a first half of huffing and puffing, Spurs broke their hosts' resistance seven minutes after the restart. Mousa Dembele intercepted in midfield and sent Dele Alli down the right, who bode his time before squaring for Eriksen to finish beyond Jack Butland.
Five minutes later Stoke were level after a mistake from Hugo Lloris. The Frenchman, at fault for Chelsea's opening goal at Stamford Bridge last weekend, watched agape as his clearance was charged down by Mame Biram Diouf – who regained his composure after taking a blow to the stomach and rolled into an empty net.
Alas, it wasn't to last long. Spurs had their victory with just over half an hour remaining when Eriksen's free-kick missed everybody and flew in. After some initial confusion about whether Harry Kane had got a touch, the Dane was eventually awarded his second of the game. (Kane is claiming it, though - watch this space.)
Goals: Diouf 57' -- Eriksen 52', 63'
Watford 1-2 Burnley
Burnley came from behind to extend their lead over Leicester to six points in the fight for Europa League football.
Watford took a deserved lead after an hour when Roberto Pereyra finished off at the second attempt; his first was a blocked free-kick, but the Argentine made no mistake after the ball broke loose from Stephen Ward's tackle on Will Hughes.
And then it all went wrong for the hosts. On 69 minutes, Sam Vokes scored with his very first touch of the match after Adrian Mariappa failed to deal with a deep free-kick. Then, just four minutes later Sean Dyche's side had a shock winner when Jack Cork headed in from yet another havoc-wreaking set-piece.
Goals: Pereyra 61' -- Vokes 69', Cork 73'
West Brom 1-1 Swansea
Darren Moore's first game as West Brom caretaker boss ended in disappointment, as Tammy Abraham struck late to save a point for Swansea at The Hawthorns.
Rare smiles were brought to the home crowd 10 minutes after the break when Jay Rodriguez lapped up a flick-on from Salomon Rondon and made no mistake at the back post for his 10th goal of the season.
They were soon wiped with some horrendous defending from their side, however, which allowed Chelsea loanee Abraham to head home unmarked from a corner.
Goals: Rodriguez 54' -- Abraham 75'
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Joe was the Deputy Editor at FourFourTwo until 2022, having risen through the FFT academy and been on the brand since 2013 in various capacities.
By weekend and frustrating midweek night he is a Leicester City fan, and in 2020 co-wrote the autobiography of former Foxes winger Matt Piper – subsequently listed for both the Telegraph and William Hill Sports Book of the Year awards.