Liverpool open huge 13-point gap

Liverpool opened up a 13-point lead in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United as closest pursuers Arsenal played out a 0-0 stalemate at Nottingham Forest. If the weekend’s results appeared to have given Liverpool one hand on the trophy, Arne Slot’s team now seem unstoppable.

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Real win at Sociedad

Teenage striker Endrick scored the only goal as a second-string Real Madrid side did enough to grab a nervy 1-0 win at Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal. Despite manager Carlo Ancelotti resting several key players, it took them 19 minutes to break the deadlock.

Goals in each half by Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister were enough for Liverpool to see off Newcastle who slipped one place in the table to sixth.

Liverpool have come through a testing run of fixtures with a draw away at Aston Villa followed by wins against Manchester City and now Newcastle and only a calamitous slump can deny the club a 20th English league title.

Arsenal’s defeat by West Ham at the weekend knocked the stuffing out of the London club and while manager Mikel Arteta vowed not to give up the chase, a 0-0 draw at Forest was another nail in the coffin of their title dream. Liverpool have 67 points from 28 games with Arsenal on 54, albeit having one game in hand. Forest have 48 points.

Manchester City climbed back into the top-four as Erling Haaland scored the only goal at Tottenham Hotspur. Haaland has become only the second player to score at least 20 goals in his first three Premier League campaigns. The other player to manage that feat was Ruud van Nistelrooy for Manchester United from 2001-02 to 2003-04.

United were involved in a thriller against struggling Ipswich Town, eventually winning 3-2 with a Harry Maguire goal despite being down to 10 men.