PL 2023/24: The Top Three's Epic Battle

Adesilva... RODRIGUEZ! There is the sound of Arsenal hearts breaking! It's the opening night of the new 2023-24 Premier League campaign. It's Burnley against Manchester City. Alvarez... Haaland... Incredible! Two goals in 35 minutes! The champions pick up where they left off. Liverpool are pressure and they are down. Virgil van Dijk sent off for denying a goal scoring opportunity. Now here's Darwin Nunes, no flag again! Darwin Nunes with 10 men! The belief is still there from the Arsenal fans. Zaka's corner... Controlled by Declan Rice... And he squeezed it in! Nice! Arsenal's title challenge is back every step of the way this time round. This feels like the biggest game of the Premier League season so far. Tolisso's the target, now Kai Havertz... Aki close to him... Martinelli's deflected! It is Arsenal's victory and it will take some time for these smiles to be erased from Arsenal faces. A Manchester derby is never just any old 90 minutes. This is Haaland to give it a two-goal lead to City! Manchester City move up to within two points of the early leaders at the top of the Premier League. Willock... Joe Linton... Must be for Gordon! Castle United take against Arsenal! Mikel Arteta's team beaten in the league for the first time this campaign. It's a game that could shape the course of the Premier League title race. Salah... It was hit by Trent Alexander-Arnold! It is a huge goal not just in this game but in the title race itself. This Spurs team are hoping to get back in the saddle today inside the lair of the champions. The Summers run into trouble here... Rodri to Erling Haaland... To Jack Greene! Kulosevski! 20 seconds to go of normal time! For Manchester City it's a third Premier League draw in a row. More impregnable fortress at the moment than Villapark. The last visitors to win here, Arsenal. Their eyes set on returning to the top of the table. Bailey... Power up... Bailey goes again... Two waiting... Leon Bailey... John McGinn! 1-0 Villa! First it was Manchester City... Now it is Arsenal! They have fell two of the Premier League's giants in the space of four days. Welcome to the first Premier League game of 2024 and it is a fixture which deserves centre stage. Here's Luis Diaz... Putting the pass in for Darwin Nunez... Puts it in for Salah... 50 Premier League goals for Liverpool Football Club. Salah... And that should be, on a wet night, home and dry for Liverpool. Intense moments now at the Emirates. Can they move within two points of the top here? This is Trossard... He has bamboozled Harvey Elliott there... Now can he pick the pass? He goes for the shot! Make no mistake, this is a very significant day. Jackson, Stirling nearside... No City player near him... And Raheem Stirling checks back and scores against his former club. It's Walker... And now it's Rodri... And finally it's 1-1. Just the fourth time this season at home that City have failed to win. It finishes Manchester City 1-1 Chelsea. Fernandes... Held up by Ruben Diaz... The arrival of Rashford... Marcus Rashford! Foden... City fans feeling nervous, but here is Phil Foden glancing his way through. Simply love scoring in Manchester derbies. It has shaped the course of the Premier League title race. Klopp and Guardiola have gone head-to-head in the past. It has never been anything short of compelling. That's a clever ball and Stones at the front post! Has been able to smuggle it in! That was a rather soft pass. And Ederson has committed the foul on Darwin Nunez. And Mo Oliver points to the spot. McAllister makes no mistake! And Liverpool are back level. And it's another draw between Liverpool and Manchester City. In one of the most exciting title races for years and years. Two of the main contenders now go head-to-head. Gabriel Jesus... Against his old team! And he just can't get it on target. Lovely turn... Kovacic... He was allowed to bring it on to his right boot and it was bending. But he just couldn't get it into the net. It is a point apiece. It is not the result that either side would have wanted. It will go down very well on the red side of Merseyside. It's on days like this that Premier League titles are won and lost. And it's going to be fascinating to see if Liverpool can return to the top of the pile again today. Darwin Nunez... Diaz for Liverpool! Garnaccio... One for Saka available. Mino... It's a great... Moreno down the line for Luca Dinha. Oh, in towards the near post. Bailey! It's Ollie Watkins. It is two. It's unravelling so, so quickly. A massive victory on the cards for Aston Villa. But a horrendous afternoon for Arsenal. A monumental setback to their hopes of a first title in 20. In these parts, you are either blue or you are red. In the pursuit of the big prize, Liverpool must give it everything now. Calvin Lewin's going to leap. Great header! Costly. This may be... Arsenal must approach this game like there is no tomorrow. Kai Osaka... Decides to take on Davis! And how cool and candid is that? Three wins in a row now for Mikel Arteta's team. It is your move Pep, as Arsenal have done their side of the deal for today. Two of the heavyweights of English football. If Mikel Arteta's team do take all three points here, then it will ensure that this title race goes down to the final day. Havertz here, still onside. Evans backpedalling. Trossard! With a hugely important goal in the title race! These Arsenal players and supporters, who still believe that they could be on the verge of some history. Tottenham, who could be two wins away from a return to the Champions League. City, could be two wins away from being champions. There is a lot, a lot on the line here. This is Bernardo Silva. Now Kevin de Bruyne. Now Erling Haal! There is no flag! And Manchester City score in North London! And the title could be on the line! Makes arguably the biggest save of his Manchester City career! 2-0! Manchester City are heading back to the top of the table! It's the last dance of the season anyway. So, let's dance. Come on boys, let's have fun out there! Come on! The managerial reign of Jurgen Klopp. Elliott, flip it in. Alexis McAllister. Jurgen Klopp is up there with the very best that this club has experienced over the years. He has delivered greatly. He really has delivered greatly. The tightest title race ever in Premier League history will be decided today. A win for City, of course, ensures that they are Premier League champions. Arsenal still in with a chance of winning the Premier League for the first time in 20 years. This is Bernardo Silva. Phil Foden! You don't get a game to start any better than that if you are Manchester City! Well, the news on that phone and many others round the ground not good news for Arsenal fans. Bernardo Silva. Rodriiii! There is the sound, perhaps, of Arsenal hearts breaking! Arsenal come up agonisingly short. Almost foot perfect since the turn of the year. But, ultimately, it's just an heroic failure. The job is surely done now. As John Brookes blows the final whistle and Manchester City are the Premier League champions again. Four in a row for the formidable Manchester City! Yes!