Arsenal and United both lose, leaving door wide open for Tottenham

Arsenal lost at home to Brighton 2-1 and United were defeated 1-0 at Everton, further opening the door for Tottenham as they prepare to battle Aston Villa.  

The shock result is reverberating across north London, as the Gunners have lost two in a row by a combined 5-1 scoreline, the latest a home defeat to lowly Brighton. Now it’s up to Antonio Conte’s men to show what they’re made of at Villa in less than 30 minutes.

Arsenal, until Spurs play Villa, no longer have a match in hand, with both north London teams on 30 matches. If Spurs beat Villa, they’ll go three points clear after playing a game more. The two teams are still to play each other in what promises to be an epic, grandstand North London Derby.

Until the final minutes, Arsenal appeared listless and devoid of ideas against a Brighton side with the third most anemic offence in the division. Too many slow, lateral passes proved the Gunners’ undoing. They thought they scored on the cusp of halftime, but VAR correctly ruled the goal out for a marginal, yet correct, offside call.

The Gunners still have to face Manchester United at home and Chelsea away, two extremely challenging contests.

United lose at Goodison to Everton

In the early match, Manchester United suffered a near-fatal blow to their top four aspirations after losing 1-0 to Everton, a team battling for their Premier League lives.  United are three points adrift of Spurs after playing a match more, leaving the opportunity for Conte’s side to go six points clear.

The importance of the Villa contest cannot be overstated. Tottenham’s fate is well and truly in their own hands now, as a victory would put them in pole position for fourth spot with seven matches to play.

Let’s see how Spurs acquit themselves against Steven Gerrard’s Villa. Surely they’ll know the results from today’s matches and, as if they needed any additional motivation, will come out like their lives depend on it.