LONDON — Arsenal returned to the top of the English Premier League as Eberechi Eze’s thunderbolt sealed a tense 1-0 win against Newcastle on Saturday.
For the first time since October, Arsenal had started a league game out of pole position after Manchester City’s 1-0 win at Burnley on Wednesday sent them to the summit, AFP reported.
But Eze lifted the Gunners back into first place with his sublime strike in the first half at the Emirates Stadium.
Eze’s 10th goal this season opened up a three-point lead over second-placed City, who were booking their place in the FA Cup final with a 2-1 win against Southampton while Arsenal were in league action.
It was an essential victory for Arsenal, whose 2-1 defeat at City last weekend was a huge blow to their title hopes.
After losing just three of their first 49 matches in all competitions this season, Arsenal had been beaten in four of the previous six, suffering successive league defeats for the first time since 2023.
Having blown substantial leads in the title race in 2023 and 2024, allowing City to pip them in the trophy, the north Londoners’ recent slump has left them in danger of squandering another golden opportunity to win their first English crown since 2004.
City have a game in hand on Arsenal, keeping the destiny of the title in their hands.
However, they don’t play their next league game until May 4 when they visit Everton, giving Arsenal the chance to move six points clear when they host Fulham next weekend.
Before that, Arsenal visits Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semifinal first leg on Wednesday.
City’s win against Burnley had ended Arsenal’s 209-day run as leaders due their superior goals scored tally.
While Arsenal is back on top with a one-goal better goal difference than City, their failure to run up the score on toothless Newcastle could come back to haunt them.
