JOIN USWelback powers Arsenal
Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck and Tottenham Hotspur’s Christian Eriksen were the toast of north London after scoring potentially pivotal late winning goals in the Premier League title race on Sunday.
Welbeck headed in a heart-stopping 95th-minute winner to give Arsenal a last-gasp 2-1 win over leaders Leicester City, while Eriksen struck in the 83rd minute to earn Tottenham a 2-1 victory at Manchester City on his 24th birthday.
The results of a momentous day left surprise pace-setters Leicester just two points clear of Tottenham and Arsenal, while City's titles hopes took a heavy blow as they were left six points off the pace.
Leicester took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Jamie Vardy drilled home his 19th goal of the campaign from the penalty spot after he had been felled by Nacho Monreal.
But Danny Simpson's 54th-minute dismissal after quick-fire yellow cards gave Arsenal the momentum and substitute Theo Walcott equalised 20 minutes from time before Welbeck sent the Emirates Stadium into raptures.
The referee found himself in the spotlight at the Etihad Stadium, where Eriksen's late goal took Spurs above Arsenal on goal difference and left City four points below them.
Harry Kane put Spurs ahead with a penalty in the 53rd minute after referee Mark Clattenburg penalised Raheem Sterling for handball from Danny Rose's cross, despite the ball seeming to strike his flank.
After Yaya Toure had wobbled the crossbar for City with a free-kick, substitute Kelechi Iheanacho equalised in the 74th minute by slamming Gael Clichy's cut-back into the roof of the net.
But Eriksen had the final say for Mauricio Pochettino's side, gathering Erik Lamela's fine through-ball and steering a shot past Joe Hart to fire Spurs' hopes of a first league crown since 1961.
Klopp’s men rout Villa
Elsewhere, Daniel Sturridge marked his first league start since early October with the opening goal as Liverpool romped to a 6-0 rout of hapless bottom club Aston Villa at Villa Park.
He headed in Philippe Coutinho's inviting cross in the 16th minute and further goals from James Milner, Emre Can, Divock Origi, Nathaniel Clyne and Kolo Toure swept Liverpool to the biggest win of Klopp's tenure.
The win saw Liverpool climb to eighth, three points off fifth-place Manchester United.