London, England – Arsenal reclaimed their momentum in the Premier League title race with a dominant 4-1 victory over rivals Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's north London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The win, which came after a challenging week where the Gunners dropped four points in matches against Brentford and Wolves, kept Arsenal two points clear at the top of the table ahead of Manchester City's game later that day. Mikel Arteta's side stuck to their tried-and-tested formula, outpossessing Tottenham 72% in the first half and securing the points with goals from Viktor Gyökeres and counters that exposed Spurs' defense.
The match kicked off under intense pressure for Arsenal, knowing Manchester City had closed the gap to two points and with a crucial head-to-head clash looming on April 18 at the Etihad Stadium. Arteta opted not to overhaul his lineup despite the derby context and Tottenham's new manager, Igor Tudor, who was making his debut after a 12-day break for the hosts. Instead, Bukayo Saka returned to the wing, with Eberechi Eze starting at No. 10, allowing Arsenal to muscle through Tottenham's attempts at counter-attacks. Spurs managed just three shots in the first half, with Richarlison's backheel in the 84th minute their only notable threat until then.
Arsenal broke the deadlock early in the second half with Gyökeres' stunning strike, followed by two more goals on the break to seal the 4-1 scoreline. Tottenham pulled one back, but a disallowed goal – ruled out after Gabriel handled a push from Randal Kolo Muani – kept the scoreline comfortable. David Raya's improbable save on Richarlison's finish proved crucial, though Declan Rice's rare error contributed to Arsenal's opener. According to match reports, the victory demonstrated Arsenal's flexibility without changing their core approach, building confidence after recent stumbles.
For Tottenham, the loss ended Tudor's streak of winning his debut matches with new teams at five. The hosts were hampered by 11 unavailable players and Dominic Solanke starting on the bench due to a sore throat. Tudor, who took over recently, faced a squad in turmoil, sitting four points above the relegation zone – ironically one place better than last season's finish despite widespread injuries. Analysts noted that while Tudor could bring tactical order as players return, the season feels increasingly wasted for Spurs fans.
Across the Premier League, Manchester City kept the pressure on Arsenal with a 2-1 win over Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola deviated from his usual possession-based style, opting for a muscular approach with speed and athleticism against a Newcastle side fatigued from a midweek trip to Azerbaijan. Youngster Nico O'Reilly starred with two goals, supported by Omar Marmoush, Antoine Semenyo, and Erling Haaland up front. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made a miracle save to deny Harvey Barnes, ensuring City held on despite Newcastle's chances.
Guardiola's tactical shifts this season have varied game to game, from trial and error early on to more purposeful changes now, according to observers. O'Reilly's performance at a more attacking role added a new dimension, while Haaland showed versatility alongside Marmoush. Rayan Ait-Nouri's deployment at left back provided extra width. City, who have won despite these experiments, remain unpredictable but effective, with key players like Donnarumma, Haaland, Rodri, and Josko Gvardiol likely starters in high-stakes matches.
In LaLiga, Real Madrid suffered a shocking 2-1 defeat to Osasuna at El Sadar Stadium, their third loss under manager Alvaro Arbeloa and slipping them behind Barcelona in the title race. Osasuna, who hadn't beaten Madrid in 15 years across 24 attempts, capitalized on Madrid's tactical struggles. Arbeloa's setup featured a defensive four-man midfield with Arda Guler shielding the backline, relying on Vinícius Junior and Kylian Mbappé for individual brilliance. Federico Valverde's bulldozing run led to the lone Madrid goal in the 73rd minute, their first significant open-play chance.
The match turned on controversial moments: an Osasuna penalty after a foot-step foul on Ante Budimir, saved brilliantly by Thibaut Courtois initially, and a winner stemming from Trent Alexander-Arnold's giveaway and Raul Asencio's error. Alejandro Moreno, an ESPN analyst, criticized Arbeloa's substitution of Valverde, saying it was a mistake against a parked-bus defense. Arbeloa might point to seven wins amid the defeats, but the reliance on individuals without cohesive patterns raised concerns for a club of Madrid's stature.
Barcelona, meanwhile, bounced back from a Girona loss with a 3-0 win over Levante at the Camp Nou, reclaiming the LaLiga summit. Hansi Flick's side impressed with Marc Bernal's strong second league start post-injury, Pedri's return after a month out, and João Cancelo's constant threats from left back. Fermín López scored a highlight-reel goal off the bench, though the high line invited concessions. Lamine Yamal assisted but reacted poorly to being subbed with two minutes left, appearing grumpy despite the comfortable lead.
Flick downplayed the incident, telling reporters Yamal was "angry with his performance," attributing it to the 18-year-old's high standards after one assist. Observers noted it wasn't an ideal look for a team game, especially with Roony Bardghji getting minutes. Barcelona could have scored more, with positives outweighing risks from their defensive setup featuring Gerard Martín and Eric García.
Turning to the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich extended their lead with a 3-2 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt at the Allianz Arena, but not without a late scare. Harry Kane scored twice, positioning him to challenge Robert Lewandowski's single-season record, as Bayern led 3-0 with 15 minutes left. However, Kane conceded an avoidable penalty, and Joshua Kimmich's blind pass across his area allowed Frankfurt to pull two back. Mario Götze nearly equalized in injury time.
Alphonso Davies suffered a minor injury, expected out just a couple of weeks, not a relapse of his ACL issue. Jamal Musiala, starting the match, commented post-game on the team's resilience, though leaders like Kane and Kimmich's errors served as a warning. Bayern have made games unnecessarily tense too often this season, despite limiting Frankfurt – winless in all competitions since mid-December – to five shots early on.
In Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain returned to the top with a 3-0 hammering of Metz at the Parc des Princes, easing concerns after losses to Rennes and a Champions League scare against AS Monaco. Désiré Doué scored early, and a rotated midfield of Dro Fernández, Warren Zaïre-Emery, and Kang-in Lee rested stars like Ousmane Dembélé. Metz managed just three shots, as PSG wrapped up the points stress-free following Lens's earlier home defeat.
Across Serie A, Internazionale responded to a 3-1 Champions League loss to Bodø/Glimt with a 2-0 win over Lecce at the San Siro. Without Lautaro Martínez, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, and Nicolò Barella, Inter dominated with 2.46 expected goals to Lecce's 0.12 and nine shots on target to zero. Goals came in the final 15 minutes in one-way traffic. Manager Cristian Chivu called the Bodø/Glimt defeat a blip, citing factors like the cold, Arctic Circle travel, plastic pitch, and hitting the woodwork twice. Inter's performance suggested buy-in, with another test upcoming Tuesday.
Atletico Madrid secured a big win, though details were sparse in reports, while Chelsea dropped more points in the Premier League, and Liverpool won but appeared disorganized. Bayern continue winning amid self-inflicted drama, and PSG's form raises questions if they're back to their best. As Europe's leagues progress, the title races intensify: Arsenal and City primed for their April 18 showdown, Barcelona and Madrid jostling in LaLiga, and Bayern pulling away in the Bundesliga. Fans await how these momentum shifts play out in the coming weeks.