Erling Haaland fired Manchester City to the top of the Premier League by beating West Ham 3-0, while Chelsea fought back to salvage a 2-2 draw at Newcastle on Saturday.
Arsenal can retake top spot for Christmas when they visit Everton later, but City ramped up the pressure on the Gunners with a seventh consecutive win in all competitions.
West Ham feared a rout when Haaland smashed home after just five minutes.
Alphonse Areola saved the Norwegian’s first effort before the ball broke kindly for Haaland to fire into the top corner.
Haaland turned provider for City’s second just before half-time as Tijjani Reijnders scored his first goal at the Etihad.
West Ham missed a number of chances to halve the deficit early in the second period as they remain in the relegation zone.
Haaland, by contrast, was ruthless as he netted his 38th goal of the season already for club and country when the ball broke his way 21 minutes from time to move City one point ahead of Arsenal.
AFCON to hold every four years after 2028 edition
Chelsea remain in fourth as a second-half fightback rescued manager Enzo Maresca from more speculation over his future.
Chelsea have won just once in their last five league games to see ambitions of a title challenge wilt.
But it could have been even worse for Maresca as Nick Woltemade’s double put Newcastle 2-0 up in a dominant first half from the Magpies.
A brilliant Reece James free-kick brought the Blues back into the game before Joao Pedro pounced on an error from Malick Thiaw to equalise.
Wolves remain without a league win this season and on course to enter the record books as the worst side in Premier League history.
Keane Lewis-Potter scored both goals as Brentford won 2-0 at Molineux to move 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
Burnley ended their seven-game losing streak as Armando Broja’s 90th-minute goal snatched a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.
Sunderland also edged up to fifth after a 0-0 draw at Brighton.
- UK job vacancies record biggest drop in 2025 - December 22, 2025
- Army chief to troops: Go after kidnappers, criminals in South-West - December 22, 2025
- Trump recalls US ambassadors from Nigeria, 29 other countries - December 22, 2025
