LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Liverpool moved a giant step closer to the Premier League title with a ruthless 2-0 win against Newcastle, while Arsenal’s challenge is in tatters after a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

With suspended boss Arne Slot watching from the Anfield stands, Liverpool opened up a massive 13-point lead over second-placed Arsenal thanks to goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.

In Wednesday’s other action, Manchester City won 1-0 at Tottenham, while 10-man Manchester United held on to beat lowly Ipswich 3-2.

But it is Liverpool who continue to hog the Premier League spotlight as an almost-flawless campaign approaches a memorable climax.

The Reds look certain to win the Premier League for the first time since 2020, which will move them level with Manchester United on a record-equalling 20 English titles.

Having won 2-0 at fading champions City on Sunday 24 hours after Arsenal lost to West Ham, Slot’s men kept their foot on the gas.

Szoboszlai netted with a clinical finish in the 11th minute and Mac Allister’s fine strike in the 63rd minute made it 20 wins and just one defeat from 28 league games this term.

In his first season after replacing Jurgen Klopp, Slot has made an astonishing impact, which could yet include Champions League and League Cup glory as well.

The Reds play Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16 first leg next week and face a rematch with Newcastle at Wembley in the League Cup final on March 16.

“After beating Man City everyone was so positive then people start to get confident and complacent,” Slot said.

“Only the ones that want to achieve something, they find another gear to win the next game as well.”

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had said his side would concede the title “over my dead body”.

The Gunners have a game in hand on Liverpool, but Arteta may have to accept the stalemate at the City Ground was the final nail in the coffin for Arsenal’s attempt to win a first title since 2004.

The toothless Gunners, playing without a recognised striker, managed just one shot on target at the City Ground, with Riccardo Calafiori hitting the post in the first half.

“Today we dropped two points which is very painful again and we have to step up,” Arteta said.

Third-placed Forest’s surprise challenge for Champions League qualification has also hit the rocks after just one win from their last five matches.

– Haaland back with a bang –
Erling Haaland returned from injury to clinch Manchester City’s victory at Tottenham as the troubled champions moved into fourth place.

Haaland had missed City’s previous two defeats against Real Madrid and Liverpool with a knee injury suffered against Newcastle on February 15.

The Norway star showed no rust with the first-half winner in north London as City climbed one point above fifth-placed Chelsea.

It was Haaland’s 28th goal in all competitions this season, with 10 of those coming in his last 11 games to silence the critics after a barren spell earlier this season.

After four defeats in their last six games in all competitions, this was a much-needed victory for City, who started strongly but rode their luck as Tottenham missed a series of second-half chances.

“Of course it’s never nice to be injured and not play but it’s about staying positive. We can only do things about the present. Today was all about winning,” Haaland said.

Harry Maguire earned Manchester United a hard-fought win at Old Trafford, easing Patrick Dorgu’s embarrassment after his part in a calamitous Ipswich opener was compounded by a first-half red card.

Maguire’s second-half header ended United’s three-match winless run in the league and lifted a little of the gloom after Monday’s announcement of a second round of redundancies at the club.

Ruben Amorim secured just his fifth league win as United boss despite a disastrous mix up between Dorgu and keeper Andre Onana that gifted Jaden Philogene an early goal.

Sam Morsy’s own goal and a Matthijs de Ligt effort had put United ahead before Dorgu’s night got worse, with the 20-year-old’s high challenge on Omari Hutchinson earning a red card following a VAR review.

Philogene’s cross snuck home in first-half stoppage time, but Maguire headed in from a Bruno Fernandes corner to dent third-bottom Ipswich’s survival hopes.

Jake O’Brien’s first Everton goal stretched their unbeaten run to seven league matches after a 1-1 draw at Brentford.