Arsenal maintained their grip on the top of the Premier League table at Christmas after edging Everton 1–0 on Saturday, despite pressure from Manchester City, who also recorded a comfortable win.
The Gunners restored a two-point lead at the summit thanks to a first-half penalty converted by Viktor Gyokeres at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.
The Swedish striker stepped up after referee appeals were initially waved away for a foul on him moments earlier, before Jake O’Brien was penalised for handball in the box.
Mikel Arteta’s side were far from fluent but showed resilience to grind out the narrow victory.
Leandro Trossard and Martin Zubimendi both struck the woodwork after the break, while Everton were left frustrated by what they felt were two unpunished fouls on Thierno Barry inside the penalty area.
Earlier in the day, Manchester City briefly climbed to the top of the table following a 3–0 victory over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium.
Erling Haaland scored twice and also provided an assist as Pep Guardiola’s men recorded their seventh consecutive win in all competitions.
Despite the convincing result, Guardiola warned that improvement is still needed if City are to challenge for a seventh league title under his watch.
Elsewhere, Liverpool survived a tense finish to beat nine-man Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 and extend their unbeaten run to six matches.
Spurs were reduced to 10 men in the first half after a dangerous challenge on Virgil van Dijk, leaving them with a difficult task for much of the game.
Alexander Isak, introduced at half-time, scored his third goal since joining Liverpool for a reported £125 million but was later forced off with another injury concern.
Hugo Ekitike added a second for the Reds before Richarlison pulled one back late on, making for a nervy finale at Anfield.
Liverpool climbed to fifth place on the table, while Tottenham slipped to 13th following their fifth home defeat in nine league games this season.
Chelsea remained fourth on goal difference after a dramatic comeback against Newcastle.
A Reece James free-kick and a Joao Pedro equaliser overturned a two-goal deficit, easing pressure on manager Enzo Maresca amid recent speculation about his future.
At the bottom end of the table, Wolves’ miserable campaign continued with a 2–0 home defeat to Brentford, leaving them without a league win this season.
Burnley snapped a seven-game losing streak with a late equaliser in a 1–1 draw at Bournemouth, while Leeds boosted their survival hopes with a 4–1 victory over Crystal Palace.
Sunderland also edged closer to the European places after holding Brighton to a goalless draw, moving up to sixth on the log.
