Arsenal, Manchester City, and Aston Villa have stretched their advantage at the top of the Premier League after narrow 2-1 victories for all three sides on a dramatic

day of fine margins and late drama.

Manchester City secured a late winner at Nottingham Forest, thanks to Rayan Cherki, while Arsenal needed a brilliant stop from David Raya to hold off Brighton. Aston Villa came from behind to beat Chelsea, with substitute Ollie Watkins scoring twice to extend Villa’s remarkable run.

Villa’s victory equalled a club record of 11 consecutive wins, set in 1897 and repeated in 1914. To continue the streak, they face a stern test against Arsenal in a clash that promises to be pivotal for the title race. A win for Villa would see them level on points with the Gunners, intensifying the battle at the top alongside Manchester City, where Pep Guardiola’s side continues to apply pressure on Mikel Arteta’s leaders.

For a brief spell on Saturday, Manchester City appeared to be in pole position. But Arsenal reclaimed top spot, leaving Arteta yet to prove his side can maintain a consistent challenge until the final whistle of the season. Meanwhile, Villa remain an unpredictable force, notching their eighth consecutive Premier League win and moving the top three seven points clear of the rest.

Chelsea dominated much of the encounter against Villa, creating the clearest opportunities, but Watkins’ equaliser after 60 minutes and a second goal in the 84th minute sealed a crucial victory. Unai Emery’s side now looks fully capable of influencing the title race.

Manchester City, for their part, have themselves won eight straight matches in all competitions, scoring 23 goals over that span. Since November, they have amassed 24 of 27 possible points, losing only to Newcastle United. Guardiola’s side could have slipped up at Forest, with Morgan Gibbs-White missing a gilt-edged chance early on, but Cherki’s late winner kept City on track.

Guardiola reflected on the significance of the win: “Winter time, Nottingham Forest away… when we won one of our six Premier Leagues, games like this happened a lot. There’s a strong aura around this squad.”

Arsenal faced their own challenges, with Martin Ødegaard’s first league goal of the season providing a slender lead at half-time. A Brighton own goal eventually secured the win, while Raya’s late save preserved the three points. Declan Rice played as a makeshift right-back due to injuries, demonstrating the squad’s adaptability under Arteta, who praised his team’s resilience: “The players always have to be ready… the way we react is brilliant to watch.”

Gabriel Magalhães made his first appearance in nearly two months, coming off the bench without incident, while Rodri returned to the Manchester City bench, adding depth for the title challengers.

Emery, however, remained cautious about Villa’s title ambitions. “There is still another 20 matches to play,” he said. But the next match could be decisive: Villa travel to Arsenal on Tuesday night, a fixture that may shape the race for the Premier League crown. Photo by Damine178, Wikimedia commons.