Alexis Mac Allister’s penalty earned Liverpool a dramatic 1-1 draw against Manchester City that left the destiny of the Premier League still very much up in the air.

A point apiece means Arsenal remain top of the table on goal difference from Jurgen Klopp’s side but they have to go to the Etihad in three weeks with the gap to City currently only a point.

The Argentina midfielder struck from the spot to cancel out John Stones’ first Premier League goal since April.

In reality this game was never likely to point to the eventual champions but what it did serve up was a reminder that these two teams remain the top-flight’s standard bearers.

Whether that will remain the same after Jurgen Klopp’s departure in the summer remains to be seen but Pep Guardiola has still not won at Anfield in front of fans.

Nevertheless he left the happier of the two managers after enduring significant second-half pressure.

Nuno Espirito Santo demanded to know ‘why always us?’ as he ranted about Nottingham Forest repeatedly being on the end of refereeing errors following Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Brighton.

Forest boss Nuno bemoaned the standard of Premier League officiating after Seagulls midfielder Jakub Moder escaped with just a booking for a studs-up lunge on Neco Williams.

The Portuguese is fed up of receiving apologies for mistakes made by match officials on the back of a string of high-profile incidents going against his relegation-threatened side.

“It’s a red card,” he said of Moder’s 67th-minute challenge. “It’s a serious mistake.

“We don’t know how the game will end but today in football having an extra player on the pitch makes a big difference.

“We were on top of the game, we were dominant, we were creating problems for Brighton and it’s a bad decision of the VAR. I don’t judge only the referee.

“But I saw the image, it’s a clear red card and how can I continue? It’s week after week we receive them.

“They apologise to us, it doesn’t mean anything because it’s costing us and we are in a tough position.

“What’s going on? Why always us? Why?

“Go and see the shin of Neco Williams. He will not post it (on social media). But I tell you, it’s a red card. It’s so obvious.”

Moder received a yellow card from referee Michael Salisbury, a decision supported by VAR Craig Pawson, who concluded there was no case of serious foul play.

Liverpool last weekend snatched a late 1-0 win at the City Ground after Paul Tierney failed to award a dropped ball to Forest in an attacking area, having stopped play for a head injury to Ibrahima Konate.

Nuno also highlighted being denied penalties in last month’s 2-0 victory over West Ham and 3-2 loss to Newcastle to emphasise his ongoing frustration.

“Everybody is aware of the mistakes,” he said.

“I don’t know how many mistakes we have, it’s a lot. I’m trying to be honest and trying to keep myself calm and be respectful, but I think it’s enough.

“The press say (it’s because) of the result. No, no, no. We won against West Ham, they didn’t give us a penalty, a clear one. Why?

“Why (did) Paul Tierney give the possession to Liverpool? Why against Newcastle we had a penalty they didn’t give us?

“We don’t know how the games are going to finish, all these things, and I say it’s enough. Please someone tell me what’s going on.”

Struggling Forest remain three points above the drop zone following Andrew Omobamidele’s decisive first-half own goal at the Amex Stadium.

Former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno feels his club are paying a heavy price for a transitional period in refereeing.

“I arrived in England some years ago,” he said. “The referees (were) amazing.

“I understand that suddenly they lost a group of referees (who were) very strong, very experienced.

“And now, new referees, they are coming and they need time and sympathy to become better and judge better.

“But we don’t have time. We are professionals. We don’t have time.”

Brighton bounced back from Europa League embarrassment at the hands of Roma by scraping an unconvincing success.

Seagulls head coach Roberto De Zerbi, whose side trail the Serie A club 4-0 ahead of Thursday’s last-16 second leg, said: “I’m very happy for the reaction.

“But I had not any doubt on the human qualities of my players. We played a good game, especially in the first 35 minutes.

“After our goal, we suffered more but we didn’t concede too many shots.

“And now we have to prepare the game with Roma. We have to play a serious game and then we will see.”

David Moyes felt a host of refereeing decisions went against West Ham after they had to come from two down to rescue a point at home to Burnley.

A stoppage-time Danny Ings effort secured a 2-2 draw, but the former Burnley striker also had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside and West Ham could have had a penalty at the death when Sander Berge headed the ball into his own hand.

“The decisions today went so badly against us,” said Hammers boss Moyes.

“The offside for the goal, then there is one in the first half where the linesman puts his flag up and Jarrod Bowen is onside.

“Even if he wasn’t, the rules are supposed to be that you wait until he’s got to be sure he’s offside. He doesn’t. He puts his flag up straight away and I’ve seen it and he’s onside.

“Then you’ve got Sander Berge heads the ball or tries to head the ball in front and it hits his arms. There have been quite a few decisions today which really went against us.”

Ex-England striker Ings had probably his best game for the Hammers despite only coming on as a substitute in the 82nd minute.

As well as a disallowed goal and the equaliser, he also hit the crossbar in a breathless end to a strange match.

A long-range strike from David Datro Fofana and an own goal by Konstantinos Mavropanos had put Burnley, who kicked off rock bottom in the Premier League and had not scored for a month, two up at half-time.

West Ham, on the back of a not particularly arduous 1-0 Europa League defeat in Freiburg, were lethargic and sloppy for 45 minutes but, inspired by Lucas Paqueta’s goal early in the second half and Ings’ late, late show, hit back for a point.

“The small margins didn’t go for us today,” added Moyes.

“It is no excuse for how we started or how we played in the first half but I couldn’t fault the players for what they did in the second half, in fact I’d praise them.”

The Clarets climbed off the foot of the table but are still 10 points from safety.

“Definitely mixed feelings,” said boss Vincent Kompany.

“If I focused just on the timing of their two goals, that’s two frustrating events, the first just into the second half and again right at the end.

“It was a game of duels, of fighting, of stopping crosses, and a game of good parts for us.

“Did the team fight? Yes. I want to take that into the next game and nothing else.”

Ange Postecoglou remained grounded despite his delight with Tottenham’s all-round display away to 10-man Aston Villa and a potentially key victory in the race for Champions League qualification.

Sunday’s clash pitted fourth against fifth, with the hosts knowing victory would move them eight points clear in the last Premier League spot guaranteed a place at Europe’s top table.

But Villa collapsed in the second half against Spurs, who celebrated James Maddison and Brennan Johnson goals before home captain John McGinn saw red for a reckless challenge on Destiny Udogie.

Son Heung-min and substitute Timo Werner wrapped up a 4-0 rout in stoppage time, meaning Spurs are now just two points behind fourth-placed Villa with a game in hand.

“The whole game I was really pleased with,” boss Postecoglou said. “The way we handled the whole day, to be honest.

“Obviously we knew it was a significant game and a tough venue, good opponent, the atmosphere here behind their team.

“The first half we did well to make them work hard more than anything else. They had to try and contain us and the threats they had we snuffed out.

“I got a sense towards the back end of the first half that they were beginning to already tire a little bit. That was the message at half-time – just persevere, stay calm, play our football, maintain our intensity, which was going to be important.

“And we did, we got off to a flier and then the quality of our football was excellent to see out the game.”

Put to Postecoglou that it was quite the swing avoiding an eight-point gap and instead cutting Villa’s advantage to two, he said: “I guess so.

“I said before the game that I still think there’s a significant part of the season to go. There’s still 11 games for us anyway.

“There’s so many challenging games and every game will have meaning between now and the end of the year. Not just for us, for every team.

“There’s a fight at the top, there’s a fight down the bottom, there’s a fight in the middle somewhere, so we’re all fighting for something.

“If we had lost today, I don’t think that would have discounted us from whatever other people put on as targets for us.

“I’ve been consistent saying what’s important for me is our growth as a team and I thought we saw that today. It was another positive step forward.”

Postecoglou did not seem overly concerned about the injury that forced off Micky van de Ven just before Spurs’ opener as the impressive centre-back “does not think it is too significant”.

Villa have a Europa Conference League last-16 second leg at home to Ajax to contend with before returning to Premier League action at Fulham next weekend.

Unai Emery wants to refocus on Thursday’s match and move on from a second half he called a “very bad day in the office”.

On McGinn’s red card, the Villa boss said: “John McGinn has played here and been strong, comfortable, very passionate and he’s a not a player doing things with bad intentions.

“I think the red card maybe could be a red card but not bad intentions.

“I didn’t speak a lot with the players, only I told them ‘keep going, move on, think of Thursday and West Ham on Sunday’ – and with John the same.”

Brighton bounced back from European embarrassment at the hands of Roma by scraping a 1-0 Premier League success over relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest.

Albion returned to the Amex Stadium with their maiden Europa League adventure in dire straits following Thursday’s 4-0 thrashing in the Italian capital.

But Andrew Omobamidele’s first-half own goal got the Seagulls back to winning ways ahead of Thursday’s last-16 second leg with the Serie A club in Sussex.

An unconvincing victory for Roberto De Zerbi’s side ended a three-match winless run in the top flight to lift them to eighth in the table.

Struggling Forest, who dominated the second half, felt aggrieved that Brighton midfielder Jakub Moder avoided a 67th-minute red card for a lunging challenge on Neco Williams.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men remained just three points above the drop zone after Divock Origi squandered their best opening of a soggy Sunday afternoon outing on the south coast.

De Zerbi made seven changes from the nightmare trip to Stadio Olimpico in search of fresh energy, while Forest’s two alterations included a first appearance since January for striker Chris Wood.

Albion began with intent craved by their Italian head coach and threatened through headed opportunities for Moder and Ansu Fati before edging ahead in the 29th minute.

Pascal Gross’ inswinging free-kick from the left caused indecision inside Forest’s six-yard box and, with the flapping Matz Sels under pressure from Moder, Omobamidele nodded into his own net at the near post.

Backed up by VAR, referee Michael Salisbury dismissed appeals for a foul on Belgian keeper Sels before Forest wasted a golden opening for an instant response.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s perfectly weighted pass sent Origi through on goal but his low effort was repelled by the legs of Seagulls keeper Bart Verbruggen.

The lowly visitors began the second half with renewed purpose during a prolonged nervy period for the home side.

Striker Origi lashed narrowly over from a tight angle, before Murillo thumped a free-kick straight at Verbruggen.

Brighton were struggling to get out of their own half and their cause could easily have become more difficult had Moder not escaped with only a booking for a late challenge on Williams.

Former Albion loanee Wood then forced a fine fingertip save from Verbruggen as the largely one-way traffic continued, with Forest now effectively playing with four in attack following the introductions of Anthony Elanga, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Taiwo Awoniyi.

Substitute Julio Enciso flashed marginally wide from long range in the 87th minute during a rare Brighton break forward.

And the Seagulls successfully survived six minutes of added time to warm up for a seemingly impossible Europa League task by condemning Forest to a sixth defeat in eight league games and a third on the spin.

Danny Ings scored his first Premier League goal in more than a year as West Ham came from two down to snatch a 2-2 draw against his former club Burnley.

The ex-England striker had probably his best game for the Hammers despite only coming on as a substitute in the 82nd minute.

Ings had a goal disallowed, then scored the equaliser and hit the crossbar in stoppage time at the end of a barmy match.

A long-range strike from David Datro Fofana and an own goal by Konstantinos Mavropanos had put Burnley, who kicked off rock bottom in the Premier League and had not scored for a month, two up at half-time.

West Ham, on the back of a not particularly arduous 1-0 Europa League defeat in Freiburg, were lethargic and sloppy for 45 minutes but, inspired by Lucas Paqueta and Ings, hit back for a point.

They fell behind after only 11 minutes, although there did not appear to be any danger when Fofana picked the ball up 40 yards out.

But the Chelsea loanee strolled through powder-puff challenges from Nayef Aguerd and Kalvin Phillips before launching a rocket from 25 yards into the top corner.

Phillips would probably have been a shoo-in for Thursday’s England squad had he stayed on Manchester City’s bench this season.

But his loan switch to West Ham has been little short of disastrous so far and, with England boss Gareth Southgate watching from the stands, the midfielder looks in serious danger of playing himself out of the squad for this summer’s Euros.

West Ham’s abject first-half display was summed up neatly when their former youngster Josh Cullen crossed low from the left and Mavropanos stuck out a foot to divert the ball past Alphonse Areola.

James Ward-Prowse and Jarrod Bowen are also on Southgate’s radar, but both had days to forget. The latter headed his only chance wide and the former, along with Phillips, was hooked at half-time.

Edson Alverez and Michail Antonio were thrown on instead and within a minute West Ham had halved the deficit, Paqueta pouncing on some sloppy Burnley possession, striding forward and confidently beating James Trafford.

Mohammed Kudus should have equalised when he collected Bowen’s cross and had a free shot after Lorenz Assignon opted to go down clutching his face rather than defend his goal, but luckily for him the Ghana winger blazed over from 10 yards.

West Ham thought they had equalised when Ings prodded home but a VAR check showed Antonio was a fraction offside when he chested the ball into his team-mate’s path.

Yet at the start of eight minutes of stoppage time, a product of Burnley’s almost incessant time-wasting, Ings collected a pass from Kudus, turned and fired through Trafford.

The £12million signing from Aston Villa in January last year almost won it moments later but his shot crashed back off the crossbar.

Tottenham inflicted a chastening 4-0 home defeat on 10-man Aston Villa as Ange Postecoglou’s men emphatically won this key battle in the race for Champions League qualification.

Sunday’s crunch clash between fourth and fifth was described in the build-up by Villa skipper John McGinn as “the most important game in the club’s recent history”.

Unai Emery’s men had the chance to move eight points clear of Spurs in the final guaranteed Champions League spot, but instead the hosts’ captain saw red in an embarrassing second-half collapse.

Tottenham moved within two points of Villa with a win that started with James Maddison turning home a brilliant Pape Matar Sarr cross in the 50th minute.

Brennan Johnson scored a fantastic second three minutes later and McGinn’s rash, frustrated challenge on Destiny Udogie led to a straight red card that ended Villa hopes of a comeback.

Son Heung-min and substitute Timo Werner struck in stoppage time as Spurs secured a statement win in the Midlands, ending Villa’s run of three straight Premier League wins in this fixture.

The players emerged to smoke and pyrotechnics at Villa Park but there were no first-half fireworks to write about.

Ollie Watkins threatened to punish Spurs’ high line early on, with Micky van de Ven’s recovery pace bailing out Cristian Romero after the in-form striker burst past beyond him.

Another example of that approach saw Watkins slipped through before the offside flag saved the Villa striker’s blushes after his undercooked pass to Leon Bailey was cut out by Pedro Porro.

Guglielmo Vicario punched away a testing McGinn free-kick and Matty Cash prodded wide after a cutback was blocked, while at the other end Villa’s five-man defence was keeping Spurs’ attack quiet.

Villa went close to taking the lead on the stroke of half-time from a short corner. The ball was laid back for McGinn to hit a well-struck cross and Lucas Digne’s flicked header looped narrowly wide.

Postecoglou’s men escaped that threat and came back from the break with a pep in their step, and not even Van de Ven’s early withdrawal could throw them off kilter.

The injured Tottenham defender had to be replaced by Radu Dragusin and headed down the tunnel just as his team-mates and the away end burst into celebration behind him.

Sarr hit an outstanding cross from the right that Maddison met ahead of a pair of Villa defenders to turn home in the 50th minute.

The Spurs man wheeled off to celebrate with the away end, then turned to the home fans when bringing out his darts celebration.

The visiting hordes were on their feet again three minutes later as Ezri Konsa’s poor pass to Tielemans was cut out brilliantly by Dejan Kulusevski, with Son collecting the ball and playing on to Johnson to brilliantly bend beyond Emiliano Martinez.

Emery responded by changing personnel and shape, only to be derailed by McGinn’s dismissal in the 65th minute.

The frustrated Villa skipper wiped out Udogie with a stupid tackle, leading to a clash involving both teams as referee Chris Kavanagh brandished a straight red card.

“2-0 in your cup final” bellowed the gleeful travelling fans, who saw Kulusevski try to add a third as they cruised against the 10-man hosts.

Vicario spread himself to stop substitute Nicolo Zaniolo but Tottenham were in control and struck twice more late on.

Son lashed home from Kulusevski’s pass in the 91st minute and substitute Werner completed the rout four minutes into the additional 10 as the home fans cleared out.

Tottenham inflicted a chastening 4-0 home defeat on 10-man Aston Villa as Ange Postecoglou’s men emphatically won this key battle in the race for Champions League qualification.

Sunday’s crunch clash between fourth and fifth was described in the build-up by Villa skipper John McGinn as “the most important game in the club’s recent history”.

Unai Emery’s men had the chance to move eight points clear of Spurs in the final guaranteed Champions League spot, but instead the hosts’ captain saw red in an embarrassing second-half collapse.

Tottenham moved within two points of Villa with a win that started with James Maddison turning home a brilliant Pape Matar Sarr cross in the 50th minute.

Brennan Johnson scored a fantastic second three minutes later and McGinn’s rash, frustrated challenge on Destiny Udogie led to a straight red card that ended Villa hopes of a comeback.

Son Heung-min and substitute Timo Werner struck in stoppage time as Spurs secured a statement win in the Midlands, ending Villa’s run of three straight Premier League wins in this fixture.

The players emerged to smoke and pyrotechnics at Villa Park but there were no first-half fireworks to write about.

Ollie Watkins threatened to punish Spurs’ high line early on, with Micky van de Ven’s recovery pace bailing out Cristian Romero after the in-form striker burst past beyond him.

Another example of that approach saw Watkins slipped through before the offside flag saved the Villa striker’s blushes after his undercooked pass to Leon Bailey was cut out by Pedro Porro.

Guglielmo Vicario punched away a testing McGinn free-kick and Matty Cash prodded wide after a cutback was blocked, while at the other end Villa’s five-man defence was keeping Spurs’ attack quiet.

Villa went close to taking the lead on the stroke of half-time from a short corner. The ball was laid back for McGinn to hit a well-struck cross and Lucas Digne’s flicked header looped narrowly wide.

Postecoglou’s men escaped that threat and came back from the break with a pep in their step, and not even Van de Ven’s early withdrawal could throw them off kilter.

The injured Tottenham defender had to be replaced by Radu Dragusin and headed down the tunnel just as his team-mates and the away end burst into celebration behind him.

Sarr hit an outstanding cross from the right that Maddison met ahead of a pair of Villa defenders to turn home in the 50th minute.

The Spurs man wheeled off to celebrate with the away end, then turned to the home fans when bringing out his darts celebration.

The visiting hordes were on their feet again three minutes later as Ezri Konsa’s poor pass to Tielemans was cut out brilliantly by Dejan Kulusevski, with Son collecting the ball and playing on to Johnson to brilliantly bend beyond Emiliano Martinez.

Emery responded by changing personnel and shape, only to be derailed by McGinn’s dismissal in the 65th minute.

The frustrated Villa skipper wiped out Udogie with a stupid tackle, leading to a clash involving both teams as referee Chris Kavanagh brandished a straight red card.

“2-0 in your cup final” bellowed the gleeful travelling fans, who saw Kulusevski try to add a third as they cruised against the 10-man hosts.

Vicario spread himself to stop substitute Nicolo Zaniolo but Tottenham were in control and struck twice more late on.

Son lashed home from Kulusevski’s pass in the 91st minute and substitute Werner completed the rout four minutes into the additional 10 as the home fans cleared out.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been left out of the Egypt squad for a forthcoming international friendly tournament.

The 31-year-old left the Africa Cup of Nations early when he picked up a hamstring injury on January 18 against Ghana and, after appearing as a second-half substitute against Brentford in mid-February, was then sidelined again with what manager Jurgen Klopp said was muscle fatigue.

Salah returned to training this week and came off the bench in the 74th minute of their 5-1 thrashing of Sparta Prague in the Europa League on Thursday.

The Liverpool top-scorer has 19 goals this campaign and his return to fitness sparked a club-versus-country row, with Egypt previously rejecting Liverpool’s request to exempt their captain from the tournament in Abu Dhabi, where they will face New Zealand and then either Tunisia or Croatia in the final.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp previously admitted: “Two games with Egypt is really not up to me.

“We want to be careful, we have to be careful, but we’re in the middle of a super-intense period of the season and we need everyone.”

However, Salah has now been omitted from the squad announced by the Egyptian Football Association on Sunday and so will be able to remain with Liverpool to work on his fitness for the title run-in.

Aston Villa skipper John McGinn says Sunday’s crunch Premier League meeting with Tottenham is “the most important game in the club’s recent history”.

Villa welcome Spurs to Villa Park for a monumental battle in the race for top four and guaranteed Champions League football last season.

Victory for Unai Emery’s men would tighten their grip on fourth place by giving them an eight-point lead over Spurs, but defeat would see the London side cut the gap to two points with a game in hand.

With Villa never having qualified for the Champions League before, McGinn knows the importance of the match.

“Everyone knows how important the game is,” the Scot said. “It’s probably, in a league fixture, the most important game in the club’s recent history.

“So the players are aware of that. If I feel over the next couple of days that the boys are not aware, I’ll remind them.

“The supporters will be right up for it and we need to remember that so will Tottenham. We got away with one down at the Tottenham stadium.

“They’re a really good team who we’ll fully respect. But we know at Villa Park we’re a force and hopefully we can get three points.”

Villa won the European Cup in 1982 but they have never played in the modern Champions League.

McGinn admits his side are talking about the possibility of qualifying and knows they have it in their own hands.

“We speak about it, we are ambitious,” McGinn added.

“Obviously we want to achieve something that the club haven’t achieved in a long, long time. Our focus from last year was to try to improve and be competitive in this competition which we’ve done so far.

“Try to improve, get Europa League and then maybe try and get the Champions League. We know it’s in our hands at the moment and we’ve got a really exciting run of games.

“There’s a lot of us that have been through the journey with the club so we’ve experienced the lows and the highs are hopefully still to come.”

Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott admits they cannot afford to focus too much on the multiple threats Manchester City pose or their own game plan will “go out the window”.

The two title rivals go head to head at Anfield on Sunday with Pep Guardiola’s side having hit top form with 18 wins and two draws in their last 20 matches.

Liverpool’s record over the last 19 fixtures has seen them lose just once and draw three times without, at times, coming close to playing at their best.

The attacking options City have at their disposal can be dizzying for opponents but Elliott said they will not be thinking about that.

“Look at the players and the squad depth they have, just Man City as a team are unbelievable,” said the 20-year-old.

“But it is about us not bigging it up too much. We just take it as another game, not worry about it too much, we just do what we do best, not over analyse or think about it too much

“We will play our football, the way we play as if we’re thinking about them too much then our game plan goes out the window.

“We just have to step up and make sure we’re ready from the start.”

The game will be billed as a potential title decider but Elliott has downplayed the hype.

“I don’t think we can big it up more than any other game,” he added.

“It’s a massive game, of course, but we’re a massive club as well and we just need to be thinking about ourselves.”

Considering the firepower of both sides Sunday’s game may be decided by who takes their chances.

Darwin Nunez warmed up for the tie with two goals in the midweek Europa League win over Sparta Prague, following on from his 99th-minute winner against Nottingham Forest, and represents Liverpool’s biggest threat.

“You know he has always had the skill and the quality, I think just sometimes it was a confidence thing. Now he is showing it,” said Elliott of the Uruguay international who has scored five in his last four games.

“He scored a vital, massive goal at the weekend and now he has come up with another great performance and goals in Prague.

“We are over the moon for him. He just needs to keep going, keep working hard and we will support him all of the way.

“We know what he is capable of doing, he just needs to keep doing it.

“But everyone needs to pop up with goals. It can’t just be the attackers, the midfielders need to chip in too.”

Mauricio Pochettino has revealed he spent the evening of his 52nd birthday watching football with his coaching staff as they sought to “heal” from Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Brentford.

The Argentinian opted for Valencia v Real Madrid and a glass of wine over time with his family, hours after his team were booed by their own supporters at the Gtech Stadium.

Chelsea’s faint hopes of qualifying for Europe are rapidly diminishing, ahead of Monday’s Premier League game at home to Newcastle.

The meeting with Eddie Howe’s side at Stamford Bridge will be the first league outing in front of their own fans since the team were jeered off at the end of a 4-2 loss to Wolves more than a month ago.

And there were signs of disquiet too during the narrow FA Cup win against Championship side Leeds.

The team’s only defeat in their last five games came after extra-time in the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool at the end of February, a run Pochettino has been keen to talk up.

However, the draw with Brentford – earned via a late Axel Disasi goal after the home side had fought back from a goal down to lead 2-1 – left the manager in no mood for celebrating his birthday.

“Saturday after the Brentford game, the draw was like a defeat,” he said.

“My coaching staff were with me at home. We finished the day watching Valencia v Real Madrid, more football. We shared a glass of wine. But nothing exciting. Only watching football.

“I think that healed, watching more football. The last few days I watched the Champions League, the Championship, the Asian Champions League.”

Asked how his wife, with whom he marked 31 years of marriage the day before Chelsea’s Christmas Eve defeat to Wolves, deals with these moments, he said:  “She knows very well because the mood is not good.

“When the mood is not good, it’s not easy for the family. The responsibility is to win and provide good feelings to our fans, the people that trust in us.

“Five games we didn’t lose in 90 minutes, you could say it was a good run. But the draw with Brentford appeared again the problems.”

After Newcastle comes an FA Cup quarter-final at home to Leicester next Sunday as the team chase down their last realistic hope of salvaging a bleak season.

Pochettino would not be drawn to look ahead however, pointing instead to the need for players returning from injury to reacclimatise, particularly after Ben Chilwell, Conor Gallagher and Levi Colwill joined an already lengthy absentee list.

“The most important thing is Monday,” he said. “I don’t want to think about Leicester. It’s important because of the circumstances. We’re going have three players less.

“We’re working really hard to see how we’re going to provide balance to the team. Players coming back from injury like (Marc) Cucurella, whether he can deal with 90 minutes. Trevoh Chalobah after seven, eight months (out). We’re managing his load.

“Always it is a risk. That is why the most important is Monday.”

Pep Guardiola has urged his Manchester City team to be ready to “overcome absolutely everything” as they head to Liverpool for a crunch title showdown.

The champions make the journey to Anfield on Sunday for a game that could have a huge bearing on the destiny of the Premier League crown.

The atmosphere is likely to be intense with all the pressure that can bring, for the players and especially the referee, but Guardiola hopes his side can rise above it all.

“When that happens we have to perform better,” the City manager said. “We cannot control what happens in these stadiums with the referees.

“We have to do better. It’s the only thing we can do. It’s not the first time, it will not be the last.

“We have to overcome these situations and to do the peak achievement, of trying to fight for the fourth Premier League in a row, that no team have done, never ever, this is the type of challenge we have to face – overcome absolutely everything.

“Otherwise will be difficult, in this case, to win on Sunday. But, whatever happens, I’m pretty sure we’ll perform well.

“And, whatever happens, still we’ll have many, many games to play. This is a really important game for the title challenge, but I still have the feeling that many things are going to happen.”

Guardiola has refused to get drawn into a war of words ahead of the game after Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold claimed winning trophies meant more to the Merseyside club than City.

Guardiola insists what people outside of the club have to say has no impact.

He said: “We have a public job and the job cannot be done without the opinion of the external people, so it’s normal.

“There are good ones and bad ones, it’s not a problem. We have to live with that, we have to deal with that, otherwise you cannot be in that world.

“But at the end, inside of the ropes, we know who we are, what we have to do.”

Mikel Arteta hailed match-winner Kai Havertz as an “exceptional player” after his late header saw Arsenal beat Brentford to move top of the Premier League.

With title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City facing off on Sunday, any victory for Arsenal would have taken them to the summit for the first time in 2024 – they will stay there if that game is drawn.

It looked like they were on course to miss out after returning goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale gifted a goal to Yoane Wissa to cancel out a brilliant Declan Rice header, only for Havertz to convert with four minutes remaining to secure a 2-1 victory.

Havertz was serenaded by the home fans at full-time as he made it four goals in his last four league games, continuing to bely the criticism of his early-season form following his move from Chelsea.

“I’m so happy,” Arteta said when asked if Havertz had now justified his big-money move.

“If somebody told me after the first two or three months that the whole stadium would be singing his song with that passion, with that feeling, with that chemistry, I would have found it hard to believe.

“That’s what happens to good people. He’s an exceptional player. When he starts to score goals like this and everything starts to flow people feel more connected with him.

“They see his work rate, they see his intelligence, they see how he plays for the team and how he’s contributing. It’s impossible not to love him.”

Rice rose to head home a career-best sixth goal of the season but deep in first-half stoppage time, Ramsdale collected a routine back-pass from Gabriel Maghalaes but dallied in possession and his attempted clearance was blocked into the net by Wissa.

Ramsdale has not played since the return game at Brentford in November after losing the battle for the Arsenal number one spot to David Raya – who is on loan from the Bees and therefore ineligible against his parent club – and this could yet be his final outing for the Gunners.

He recovered to make two smart saves in the second-half and Arteta was pleased his error did not ultimately cost the Gunners.

“I’m really happy especially because he did exactly what he is, which is a person with huge personality and courage, very determined,” he said.

“Errors are part of football. It’s how you react to it, especially for the keepers which is probably the most difficult position. He did so in an amazing way. I’m not surprised because the whole team and the whole stadium was behind him.

“He has earned that respect and admiration. We really wanted to win for him.”

Havertz’s header meant Ramsdale’s blushes were spared – but Brentford boss Thomas Frank felt the Germany forward was lucky to still be on the pitch to score the winner.

Having been booked for an elbow on Kristoffer Ajer, he managed to avoid a second caution despite seemingly diving in an attempt to win a penalty.

“Havertz is a clear, clear dive,” said Frank.

“I wish they would just admit it. I don’t know if he has because that happens all the time, every week someone is doing it. I know it happens.

“That should of course been a second yellow and a red card. And then he wouldn’t be able to score the winner and hopefully maybe we would have gained a little bit more momentum, maybe to win the game.”

Kai Havertz headed home a late winner against Brentford to send Arsenal top of the Premier League and spare the blushes of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

With title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City facing off on Sunday, any victory for Arsenal would have been enough to take them to the summit for the first time in 2024.

It looked like they were on course to miss out after Ramsdale gifted a goal to Yoane Wissa to cancel out a brilliant Declan Rice header, only for Havertz to convert with four minutes remaining to secure a 2-1 victory.

Mikel Arteta has seen his team sweep aside all comers in recent weeks but this was another face to Arsenal, an attritional display that will see them remain as league leaders if Liverpool and City share the spoils at Anfield.

Ramsdale has not played since the return game at Brentford in November after losing the battle for the Arsenal number one spot to David Raya – who is on loan from the Bees and therefore ineligible against his parent club – and this could yet be his final outing for the Gunners.

Ivan Toney, linked with Arsenal throughout January, cleared an inswinging Rice corner off the line early on but unlike recent games away from home Arsenal did not have everything their own way in the opening stages.

They would, however, still break the deadlock as Ben White crossed for Rice to head home like an accomplished Premier League striker as he enjoys the best goalscoring season of his career with six goals.

From that point on, Arsenal looked in control – that was until deep into first-half stoppage time when Ramsdale collected a routine back-pass from Gabriel Magalhaes but dallied in possession and, as he attempted to clear, was closed down by Wissa.

The block could have gone anywhere but looped into the back of Ramsdale’s net to take the teams in level at the break.

Brentford smelled blood and after the interval Toney attempted an audacious effort with Ramsdale off his line – but this time he made a good stop to turn the goal-bound strike behind.

Arsenal were still the more dangerous side and Gabriel almost headed home a Bukayo Saka corner only for Vitaly Janelt to block into the grateful hands of goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

The hosts were getting more and more frustrated with referee Robert Jones as they felt a number of penalty claims went against them, although Havertz was lucky to escape a second booking after seemingly diving inside the box just after the hour.

Brentford were still threatening and Ramsdale was now providing the rearguard protection, brilliantly tipping over a Nathan Collins header as the second half drew on.

The game was opening up into an end-to-end contest as Rice rattled the crossbar with a bending effort from outside the box, with nerves creeping in around the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal, though, manfully stuck to the task at hand and ultimately found a way through as White once again provided the cross, Havertz this time diverting a header past Flekken for his fourth goal in four league games.