Ruthless Manchester City swept aside Everton 3-1 to set up the chance to win the Premier League title with victory over Manchester United next Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s men had the match sewn up by half-time at Goodison Park to maintain their 16-point lead at the top of the table and keep alive the prospect of clinching the crown at the Etihad against their bitter rivals.
Leroy Sane opened the scoring with a sweetly struck back-post volley after only four minutes and Gabriel Jesus soon made it two, scoring moments after Yannick Bolasie had headed a golden chance over for Everton.
Raheem Sterling slotted home the third after fine work from David Silva and the hosts never looked like mounting any sort of fightback, despite Bolasie’s second-half consolation.
Manchester United reclaimed second place in the Premier League table with a 2-0 win at home to Swansea City.
United took the lead after only five minutes, with Romelu Lukaku scoring his 100th Premier League goal. Alexis Sanchez teed up the Belgium international, who saw his shot deflect past a helpless Lukasz Fabianski in the Swansea goal.
The lead was doubled in the 20th minute, and this time it was Sanchez who got on the scoresheet. Jesse Lingard slipped Sanchez through down the middle, and he stayed calm to slot home.
Swansea improved after half-time, with David De Gea making two good saves from Tammy Abraham, but there was no way back into the game.
Mohamed Salah’s 37th goal of the season handed Jurgen Klopp a 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace in his 100th Premier League match in charge of Liverpool that briefly took them above United into second.
Palace, who inflicted the first league defeat of Klopp’s tenure, were left frustrated in their battle to stay alive in the Premier League, seeing Liverpool come from behind and Sadio Mane escape a red card in the second half.
Luka Milivojevic gave Palace the lead with a 12th-minute penalty before Mane equalised just after half-time. But Mane was fortunate to stay on the pitch after he deliberately handled the ball while already on a booking and Salah then struck six minutes from time to seal an important win at both ends of the table.
The win leaves Liverpool third with a 10-point cushion over fifth-placed Chelsea, who have two games in hand and play Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
West Ham put their recent troubles at the London Stadium behind them, and eased their relegation worries, with a 3-0 win at home to struggling Southampton.
Joao Mario put the Hammers in front in the 13th minute, firing into the roof of the net from the edge of the area. And within four minutes they had a second as Marko Arnautovic scored at the second attempt after his initial header had been saved by Fraser Forster.
The game was effectively over four minutes into first-half stoppage time as Arnautovic bagged his second with a back-post volley.
West Bromwich Albion slid closer to the relegation trap door with a 2-1 defeat at home to Burnley. Ashley Barnes’ fine season continued as he scored with a wonderful acrobatic volley in the 22nd minute. Chris Wood made sure of the points with the second goal in the 73rd minute.
Salomon Rondon pulled a goal back seven minutes from time, but they could not force an equaliser.
The Baggies remain rooted to the foot of the table, and 10 points from safety, while Burnley are now two points behind sixth-placed Arsenal.
All the drama came late at the Amex Stadium as Leicester turned possible defeat into a 2-0 victory in a matter of minutes.
Hosts Brighton were given the perfect opportunity to break the deadlock in the 77th minute when Harry Maguire brought down José Izquierdo, but Glenn Murray saw his penalty saved by Kasper Schmeichel.
Six minutes later the Foxes took the lead as Vicente Iborra headed home Ben Chilwell’s cross, and they then had to see out the final moments with 10 men after Wilfred Ndidi was dismissed for two bookings. Jamie Vardy made sure of the points with the second goal six minutes into stoppage time.
Watford were denied in injury time at Vicarge Road as Bournemouth snatched a 2-2 draw.
Watford grabbed the first goal of the game in the 13th minute, Kiko with the volley from a corner which was deflected past goalkeeper Asmir Begovic by the outstretched leg of Josh King.
The equaliser came two minutes before the break as King made amends from the penalty spot. Jose Holebas had needlessly swatted the ball out of play inside the area and was penalised for handball.
Watford regained the lead four minutes after the break, Roberto Pereyra scoring with the aid of a deflection. But the honours finished even when Jermain Defoe converted Nathan Ake’s pass in the 92nd minute.
Newcastle United moved seven points clear of the drop zone with a 1-0 win at home to Huddersfield Town, Ayoze Perez netting the winner 10 minutes from time.
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