Liverpool beat Manchester City 2-0 and take the lead

Leaders Liverpool took a major step towards reclaiming the Premier League title by winning 2-0 at Manchester City on Sunday at the close of Matchday 26, after which they are 11 points ahead of Arsenal (2nd).

The Gunners' derby defeat to West Ham on Saturday was capitalised on by a Liverpool side that had a more comfortable game than expected at the Etihad Stadium, thanks once again to Mohamed Salah, who scored in the 14th minute and set up Dominik Szoboszlai's goal in the 37th.

Arsenal have played one game less than Liverpool, but the 11-point difference means that the trophy is slowly getting closer to the Anfield trophy cabinet.

Liverpool strengthens its lead

This Sunday's match can even be read as a symbolic transfer of the sceptre, between a Manchester City (4th, 44 points) that is clearly in decline and a Liverpool that is already 20 points ahead.

It has been a nightmare week for City, who were eliminated in the Champions League play-off by Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola, in charge of the Sky Blues since 2016, lost at home in the league for the first time against a Liverpool that, after the Jürgen Klopp era, has found a master hand in Arne Slot.

If the Champions League is now just a bad memory for City, for Liverpool this Sunday's victory reinforces their confidence before a very demanding test in the round of 16 (5 and 11 March), where they will have to face Paris Saint-Germain.

Salah, with his 25th goal in this Premier League, reinforced his significant lead in the top scorers' charts.

He scored this time after a clever combination on a corner kick between Argentine Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, who provided the assist.

The Egyptian returned the gift to his Hungarian teammate in the second 'red' goal, when he broke free from Josko Gvardiol and sent the pass for Szoboszlai to make it 2-0.

Since Lionel Messi with Barcelona in 2014-2015, no star has managed to score and provide at least one assist in eleven games in a single season in the major European leagues.

Meanwhile, City star Erling Haaland was not even called up due to a knee problem.