Manchester City extended their lead at the Premier League summit with a 1-0 win over struggling Sheffield United on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola's side started the day one point ahead of rivals Manchester United, but finished it three ahead of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's outfit after they were held to a disappointing, if record breaking, 0-0 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Newcastle United turned around their woeful recent form with a 2-0 win at Everton, while Aston Villa won away at Southampton.
Crystal Palace edged past Wolves 1-0 at Selhurst Park, while strugglers West Brom and Fulham played out an entertaining 2-2 draw.
Here is the pick of the Opta facts from the day's action in the Premier League.
Manchester City 1-0 Sheffield United: Guardiola's men keep on winning
An early goal from Gabriel Jesus helped City set a new club record of 12 consecutive wins in all competitions.
It is also the longest winning run by a Premier League team since Arsenal racked up 12 in a row between August and October 2007.
The slender win was also their ninth triumph in January, the most they have ever won in a single month in their history. Indeed, it is the most wins by a team in the top four tiers of English football in a single month since the formation of the Football League in 1888.
The result also means City have kept 20 clean sheets in all competitions this season, which is at least five more than any other side in the top-five European leagues.
After their shock midweek win at Manchester United, this was a case of normal service resumed for the rock-bottom Blades.
They have now lost 20 of their last 24 Premier League matches - seven more than any other side in the same period - and have been on the end of eight 1-0 defeats this season. That is the joint-most ever by a side at this stage (21 games) of a top-flight season, along with Ipswich Town in 1985-86.
Arsenal 0-0 Manchester United: Record-breaking stalemate for United
They did not come away from London with all three points, but United can at least toast an 18th consecutive away match in the Premier League without defeat – their longest run without a loss in their illustrious top-flight history.
While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side created the best opportunities, they failed to find the back of the net for a third consecutive league match against Arsenal. The last time they went that long without scoring against the Gunners was between September 1981 and May 1983 when they went four games without a goal.
The result means Solskjaer has now failed to win any of his five Premier League games against Arsenal, with the Norwegian the only Red Devils manager to face the north London side more than once in the top flight without winning a game.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have now kept four consecutive home clean sheets in all competitions for the first time since April 2019.
The draw means Mikel Arteta's side are unbeaten in their past six league games against United – their longest run against the Red Devils in league competition since between October 1980 and May 1983 (also six).
Everton 0-2 Newcastle United: Toffees downed by a familiar foe
Steve Bruce relieved some of the intense pressure he had been under as Newcastle ended an 11-game winless run in all competitions with victory at Goodison Park.
It was no surprise that Callum Wilson was the inspiration behind the win, the England international's brace means he has now been involved in 67 per cent of the Magpies' 21 Premier League goals this season (10 goals, four assists).
His first goal was his 50th in the Premier League, while he has only scored more against West Ham (eight) in the competition than he has versus Everton (six).
The Toffees, meanwhile, have now been defeated in four home league games this season. That is the most Carlo Ancelotti has lost in a single campaign since the 2007-08 campaign with Milan, when he was also beaten four times.
Everton midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson made his 300th Premier League appearance in the defeat to become the second Icelandic player to reach the milestone after Hermann Hreidarsson (332).
Southampton 0-1 Aston Villa: Grealish and Barkley combine to overcome Saints
Villa secured a first win over Southampton in the Premier League since December 2013 thanks to Ross Barkley's first-half goal, laid on by the superb Jack Grealish.
Grealish has now been involved in 15 league goals (six goals, nine assists) in a single season for the first time, eclipsing his tally of last term when he scored eight goals and created six for his team-mates.
Only Harry Kane (11) and Kevin De Bruyne (10) have more assists than Grealish this season, while the last Villa player to register more in a single season in the competition was Ashley Young with 10 in 2010-11.
Dean Smith's side were also indebted to another clean sheet from goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, whose 10th shutout of the campaign is only bettered by City's Ederson (12).
Defeat for Southampton means they have lost three consecutive top-flight matches for the first time since November 2019, while they have also failed to score in five of their past seven Premier League games - they had only drawn a blank in five of their previous 41 in the competition before this.
Erling Haaland ‘not stressed’ about form heading into Champions League final
Erling Haaland has brushed off concerns about his form ahead of the Champions League final on Saturday.
Haaland has scored 52 goals in an astonishing first season for Manchester City but grabbed only one in his last seven appearances.
Coming just prior to one of the biggest games in City’s history, as they take on Inter Milan in Istanbul for Europe’s top prize, it is a run that has raised eyebrows.
Yet Haaland insists there is nothing to worry about and he is not feeling the effects of a long and arduous season.
“You can think of it as one goal in seven games or 52 goals in 52 games and eight assists,” said the Norway striker. “You can think of it in both ways. I’m not stressed. I feel really good.”
Haaland has had no trouble dismissing critics this season.
Prior to his arrival at City last summer there were claims he would need time to settle, suggestions that only increased after he spurned a gilt-edged chance on debut against Liverpool in the Community Shield.
Even after he bounced back in sensational style by scoring 27 goals before the end of December, it was reckoned his presence could be hampering City, as their results at that stage were inconsistent.
“I think often it’s a good thing when people start criticising you,” he said. “I scored every single game and then people started criticising me. That’s what happened basically.
“When people criticise you it’s normally a good thing. It’s just about trying to smile a bit and enjoy life.
“In the Community Shield I missed a couple of big chances. It can happen, it will happen again.
“What can you do? Nothing. We have to focus on the next thing, the next game and that’s what I did. I scored two goals in the next game, so it was still not a bad start.”
Haaland feels he has exceeded his own expectations in his first season at City but still feels he could have done better.
He said: “No, I didn’t expect to score this many goals but, again, I could have scored more.
“I’ve been missing a lot of chances, so I could have scored more. That’s the truth.”
FA and PFA study finds increased dementia risk in ex-footballers
Former professional footballers are almost three and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than the general population, according to a study commissioned by the Football Association and Professional Footballers’ Association.
First findings of the FOCUS study, conducted by the University of Nottingham, support previous research that former footballers may be at higher risk of neurocognitive disease.
The new report states that 2.8 per cent of retired professional footballers in their study reported medically diagnosed dementia and other neurodegenerative disease compared to 0.9 percent of controls.
This means former pros in the study were found to be 3.46 times more likely to have neurodegenerative diseases compared to the control group.
The study also showed retired footballers in the study were twice as likely to fall below established thresholds in some dementia testing than the general population.
Dr Charlotte Cowie, the FA’s head of medicine, told the governing body’s website: “The FA and the PFA jointly commissioned the FOCUS study in order to gain additional insight into the findings of the FIELD study, and to further examine any potential link between neurodegenerative disorders in former professional footballers.
“The FOCUS study worked with an established group of former professional footballers that were participating in research and was able to review their brain health, and it supports the previous findings in the FIELD study which suggest an increased risk for neurodegenerative disease in former professional footballers than in the general population.
“This is an extremely complex area of our game, but we are committed to working collectively with our stakeholders to help grow our knowledge in this area through further medical and expert analysis.”
The initial findings of the FOCUS study will be shared with both FIFA and UEFA, and the FA has reiterated its support for further research from across the wider game to help build a better understanding of players’ brain health and well-being.
“This is an important new study which supports previous evidence suggesting that footballers are at greater risk of dementia and poorer cognitive functioning in later life,” said the PFA’s head of brain health Dr Adam White.
“Studies such as this… ensure that targeted and evidence-led action can be identified and taken to support and protect players at all stages of their career.
“Continued investment in this type of research will remain absolutely vital.”
An FA statement read: “The FA has led the way in taking steps to help reduce potential risk factors within the game (including) establishing industry-leading concussion guidelines, introducing the world’s most comprehensive heading guidance at every level of the professional and amateur game in England, and implementing a new trial to remove deliberate heading in football matches across under-12 level and below.
“Further findings from the FOCUS study will be published in due course.”
Everton offer Seamus Coleman new deal but Yerry Mina and Andros Townsend leave
Everton have offered new contracts to Seamus Coleman, Tom Davies and Andy Lonergan but Yerry Mina and Andros Townsend will leave the club this summer.
Coleman, 34, has made over 400 appearances for the Toffees, including 25 last season, and has been offered the chance to stay at Goodison Park.
Davies, who came through the youth system at the club, managed just 20 appearances last term but boss Sean Dyche wants him to be part of his squad, along with back-up goalkeeper Lonergan.
Mina, a £27million signing from Barcelona in 2018, will leave at the end of his current contract, having had a mixed time at the club, while Townsend did not play for the club after March 2022 and also departs at the expiry of his deal.
Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic will leave after turning down a fresh contract offer.
Director of football Kevin Thelwell said on the club’s official website: “Everyone at the club wishes to thank all departing players for their contribution throughout their time at Everton.
“We’re also grateful to our senior men’s players who are moving on, including Yerry – whose passion and determination for Everton was evident by how highly he was thought of by our fans – to Andros and Asmir who were consummate professionals during their two years at the club.
“We wish all of them the best with the next chapters in their careers.
“We have also offered new contracts to players and we will continue talking with them as we look to build a competitive squad for Sean Dyche and his staff for the new season.”
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