In a dramatic weekend of Premier League football, Harrison Reed’s stunning 97th-minute equalizer secured a 2-2 draw for Fulham against Liverpool, as both teams found the net during stoppage time. Meanwhile, Chelsea also managed a late equalizer against Manchester City, dealing a significant blow to City’s title aspirations.
On Sunday, Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Leeds, amidst growing internal turmoil following an explosive interview with their manager. The weekend’s results have left the title race in a state of flux, with Arsenal maintaining a six-point lead over City.
Liverpool’s Rollercoaster at Craven Cottage
Liverpool seemed poised to solidify their top-four position after coming from behind to lead at Fulham’s Craven Cottage. Harry Wilson, a former Liverpool player, opened the scoring for Fulham, giving them a deserved halftime lead. However, Liverpool rallied in the second half, extending their unbeaten streak to nine games.
Florian Wirtz leveled the score before Cody Gakpo capitalized on Jeremie Frimpong’s cross in the 94th minute, seemingly securing victory for Liverpool. Yet, their celebrations were abruptly halted when Reed unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box, marking his first goal in three years.
“Quite incredible, he will never hit a better shot than that,” Alan Smith remarked on Sky Sports. “That was the strike of a lifetime. That was impossible to stop.”
The draw keeps Liverpool three points ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United in the race for a Champions League spot next season.
City’s Title Hopes Dented by Chelsea
Manchester City’s attempt to close the gap on Arsenal suffered a setback as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea. Enzo Fernandez’s stoppage-time equalizer canceled out Tijjani Reijnders’ first-half goal, leaving City six points adrift of the league leaders.
The match marked a memorable debut for Chelsea’s interim manager, Calum McFarlane, who stepped in after the departure of Enzo Maresca. Despite McFarlane’s impressive start, Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior is rumored to be the frontrunner for the permanent managerial position.
City, who face Brighton next, have now gone two matches without a win, following a goalless draw against Sunderland at the start of the year.
Manchester United’s Internal Struggles
At Elland Road, Manchester United narrowly avoided defeat against Leeds, rekindling a historic rivalry. Brenden Aaronson’s goal early in the second half sent Leeds fans into a frenzy, but Matheus Cunha’s quick response ensured United maintained their unbeaten record against Leeds for 16 years.
United’s inability to capitalize on opportunities to break into the top four has been a recurring theme. Manager Ruben Amorim, in a candid post-match interview, hinted at his potential departure from Old Trafford at the end of his contract in 18 months.
“I came here to be the manager, not to be the coach,” Amorim stated. “In every department – the scouting department, the sporting director – (they) need to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on.”
Other Highlights from the Weekend
Elsewhere, Tottenham’s struggles continued with a 1-1 draw against Sunderland. Ben Davies scored for Spurs, but Brian Brobbey’s late equalizer extended Sunderland’s unbeaten run to five games, despite missing key players due to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Brentford climbed to seventh in the league after a 4-2 victory over Everton, thanks to Igor Thiago’s hat-trick. Only Erling Haaland has scored more goals this season than Thiago, who now has 14 goals to his name.
Newcastle also bolstered their Champions League hopes with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, thanks to second-half goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Malick Thiaw. The victory moves the Magpies up to ninth, within five points of Liverpool.
As the Premier League title race intensifies, Manchester City will have another chance to close the gap on Arsenal when they host managerless Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in their next fixture.
