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The Premier League title race got spicier over the weekend, leading up to next weekend's huge showdown. Leicester City, now five points clear, can establish themselves as genuine favorites by avoiding defeat against Arsenal next week. Tottenham Hotspur won this week too, and they'll take on Manchester City in the last game on next week's schedule. After this week's results, Spurs are now a point ahead of City, and just ahead of Arsenal on goal differential.
Going into next week's Super Sunday, here's what the title race looks like.
Premier League title projection updated. Arsenal move slightly into the lead with the win. pic.twitter.com/TOt47tTh4a
— Michael Caley (@MC_of_A) February 7, 2016
This weekend's scores
Manchester City 1-3 Leicester City
Swansea City 1-1 Crystal Palace
Stoke City 0-3 Everton
Aston Villa 2-0 Norwich City
Liverpool 2-2 Sunderland
Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Watford FC
Newcastle 1-0 West Bromwich Albion
Southampton 1-0 West Ham United
AFC Bournemouth 0-2 Arsenal
Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United
Watch the Foxes put a beating on City
Leicester City didn't just beat Manchester City away from home. They wrecked them.
A combination of some poor finishing by the Foxes and great goalkeeping by Joe Hart kept this from being more embarrassing from the hosts. There's no denying Leicester's quality anymore. They've been the best team in the Premier League this season and deserve to top the table.
The relegation battle is threatening to get fun
All of Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Sunderland picked up points this weekend. Norwich, Bournemouth and West Brom all lost. Chelsea and Crystal Palace, though they're probably not going to get sucked into the relegation race, dropped points too. And don't look now, but Watford and Stoke are dropping down the table, still not 100 percent safe. A relegation race that once looked very closed is starting to open up a little bit.
Tottenham Hotspur squeak out win, but they dominated
And it’s no less than he deserves. Trippier has been fantastic today.
— Cartilage Free Capt. (@cartilagefree) February 6, 2016
Dele Alli has completely changed the match. Spurs are much better when he’s on the pitch.
— Cartilage Free Capt. (@cartilagefree) February 6, 2016
xG map for #COYS-#watfordfc. Dominance. Maybe Spurs' most complete performance of the season. pic.twitter.com/ycISKWeYHP
— Michael Caley (@MC_of_A) February 6, 2016
Tottenham needed Dele Alli to come off the bench to turn their dominance into a game-winning goal, but they might have found it without him, and certainly deserved the three points regardless. They're not just beating solid teams like Watford, but outplaying them very thoroughly.
What on earth are Liverpool doing?
Jürgen Klopp missed Saturday's game against Sunderland with appendicitis, and his team's performance won't help him feel any better.
Liverpool are now the same distance from the drop zone as they are from the top four. It's another lost season for the Reds.
Toffees coming to life
And that's that. Everton 3-0 winners against Stoke. Superb display.
— Royal Blue Mersey (@RBMersey) February 6, 2016
Excellent performance from Everton, arguably their best all round display this season.
— Royal Blue Mersey (@RBMersey) February 6, 2016
Best performance of the season that Blues?
— Royal Blue Mersey (@RBMersey) February 6, 2016
I'm obviously joking about top four, but we're only five points off 5th at present. Shows how much different things could have been.
— Royal Blue Mersey (@RBMersey) February 6, 2016
The Toffees were at their best in their 3-0 win over Stoke on Saturday. If Everton can hold on to Romelu Lukaku, Ross Barkley, Gerard Deulofeu and John Stones this summer, they're going to feel very good about their chances to be the Leicester or Spurs of next season. History tells us they'll find a way to screw that up, but shhhh, let the Toffees in your life dream.
De Gea and Courtois shine
Manchester United and Chelsea will both be disappointed in their draw. United especially, since they took the lead, had more chances, and are still fighting for a Champions League place. But if there's anything for either team to be happy about, it's their goalkeeper. David De Gea and Thibaut Courtois both had a handful of spectacular saves in a game that could have very easily finished 3-3. If you think these teams are bad now, imagine where they would be without their great goalkeepers.