Liverpool, the Premier League leaders, narrowly avoided a slip-up against Nottingham Forest, settling for a 1-1 draw in the 21st round.
The hosts took an early lead through Chris Wood, whose low strike from inside the box found the net in the 8th minute. However, Liverpool equalized through Portuguese substitute Diogo Jota just 22 seconds after his introduction, heading home a Kostas Tsimikas corner in the 66th minute.
Despite the draw, Liverpool maintained their six-point advantage over Nottingham and retained a game in hand against Everton, with the match date still to be confirmed.
Nottingham, this season’s standout surprise, aimed to secure their first league double over Liverpool since the 1962-63 season. They remain the only team to defeat Arne Slot’s side this season, with their earlier 1-0 victory in Round 4. Nottingham’s grip on second place, with 41 points, is at risk if third-placed Arsenal (40 points) secure a positive result against Tottenham tonight.
Thrilling Draws for Chelsea and City
Chelsea managed to avoid a third defeat in five matches, reclaiming a 2-2 draw against Brentford at Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer gave Chelsea an early lead in the 13th minute, but the visitors responded with a penalty from Justin Kluivert (50) and a goal from Antoine Semenyo (68). Reece James, donning the captain’s armband as a substitute, rescued a point with a free-kick in stoppage time (90+5).
The London team appeared headed for their third defeat in five matches, remaining winless in this challenging stretch and showing signs of a troubling decline after previously holding second place behind Liverpool. Despite their struggles, they managed to collect a single point, bringing their tally to 37 points and slipping to fourth in the standings.
On the other hand, Bournemouth continued their remarkable campaign, further solidifying their impressive form this season. They extended their unbeaten run to 10 consecutive matches across the Premier League and cup competitions. With nine league wins to their credit, Bournemouth added their seventh draw, raising their total to 34 points and temporarily claiming seventh place.
Reigning champions Manchester City, showing improvement in their last two matches, stumbled to a 2-2 draw against Brentford in a dramatic late equalizer.
City struck first with a brilliant goal from Phil Foden, who finished a precise cross by Belgian maestro Kevin De Bruyne (66). Foden added a second, pouncing on a rebound after the goalkeeper’s close-range save (78).
However, Brentford responded with a goal from Yoane Wissa (82). Danish defender Christian Nørgaard then sealed the comeback, netting the equalizer in stoppage time (90+2).
The draw elevated Pep Guardiola’s side to 35 points, placing them sixth temporarily, while Brentford moved to tenth with 28 points.
Meanwhile, new West Ham manager Graham Potter bounced back from a cup defeat to Aston Villa, guiding his team to a 3-2 win against Fulham. The match featured significant errors from Fulham’s German goalkeeper Bernd Leno, contributing to two of the goals.
West Ham’s scorers included Spaniard Carlos Soler (31), Czech midfielder Tomáš Souček (33), and Brazilian playmaker Lucas Paquetá (67). Fulham’s Nigerian star Alex Iwobi netted both of their goals (51, 78).
The victory pushed West Ham 10 points clear of the relegation zone with their seventh league win. In contrast, Fulham, with their fifth defeat of the season, stayed on 30 points, sitting in ninth place temporarily.