EPL Matchweek 25 Results delivered the weekend’s most compelling title race narrative, where Arsenal’s clinical efficiency met Manchester City’s mental resilience.
Table of Contents
- The Weekend’s Complete Premier League Results
- Arsenal’s Possession Paradox: Winning Without Controlling
- Liverpool vs Man City: Late Drama Defines Title Credentials
- Conclusion: Six Points and Dwindling Margins
Table of Contents
EPL Matchweek 25 Big Focus: Arsenal and Man City
The Gunners established a temporary breathing space with a 3-0 victory over Sunderland at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon, extending their advantage to nine points whilst City travelled to one of English football’s most psychologically demanding venues.
Viktor Gyökeres’ second-half brace sealed Arsenal’s 17th win from 25 matches, a victory built not on possession supremacy but rather on ruthless conversion that saw them score three times from 1.49 xG.
City’s Sunday afternoon response at Anfield proved equally revealing about championship DNA. Trailing to Dominik Szoboszlai’s spectacular 74th-minute free-kick, Pep Guardiola’s side overturned a one-goal deficit in the match’s frantic final stages, with Bernardo Silva equalising before Erling Haaland converted a 90+3′ penalty.
City generated 2.75 xG compared to Liverpool’s 1.21, suggesting their late breakthrough wasn’t fortune but rather an inevitable outcome of sustained pressure.
The victory trimmed Arsenal’s lead back to six points, maintaining mathematical hope whilst demonstrating the psychological fortitude that has defined their dominance.
Tactical Approaches
Tactically, Matchweek 25 showcased contrasting approaches to securing three points. Arsenal operated with surgical precision despite controlling just 49% of possession, choosing to yield the ball in non-dangerous areas whilst remaining lethal on transitions.
City’s approach at Anfield proved more direct, with 53% possession translated into 17 total shots and seven on target, exploiting spaces behind Liverpool’s high defensive line with precisely weighted passes from Rodri and creative movement from Antoine Semenyo.
For the analytical observer, these Premier League results crystallised the title race’s defining characteristics: Arsenal’s capacity to grind out victories without dominating possession, City’s ability to manufacture late drama when momentum appears lost, and Liverpool’s concerning defensive fragility when protecting narrow leads.
Arsenal’s 56-point tally from 25 matches represents their largest advantage at this stage since their 2003/04 ‘Invincibles’ campaign, yet City’s Anfield triumph proves the champions refuse to concede their crown without extracting every available point from football’s most unforgiving fixtures.
EPL Matchweek 25 Complete Results
Beyond the title race headlines, Matchweek 25 produced significant movements across the table. Below are the finalised scores from across the division:
- Leeds United 3-1 Nottingham Forest: Farke’s side moves nine points clear of the drop zone
- Manchester United 2-0 Tottenham: Spurs captain Cristian Romero sent off in the first half
- Arsenal 3-0 Sunderland: The Gunners briefly open a nine-point gap at the top
- Wolves 1-3 Chelsea: Cole Palmer nets a historic 25-minute hat-trick at Molineux
- Bournemouth 1-1 Aston Villa: Morgan Rogers nets for Villa but Cherries rescue a point
- Burnley 0-2 West Ham: The Hammers climb into the top half with a clinical away win
- Fulham 1-2 Everton: A late Bernd Leno own goal gifts the Toffees vital points
- Newcastle 2-3 Brentford: The Bees secure a frantic five-goal thriller at St. James’ Park
- Brighton 0-1 Crystal Palace: Mateta secures the points in a tight M23 Derby
- Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City: Haaland’s late penalty keeps the title race alive
Arsenal’s Possession Paradox: Winning Without Controlling
Arsenal’s 3-0 dismantling of Sunderland defied conventional wisdom about possession dominance correlating with victory.
The Gunners controlled just 49% of the ball yet created superior quality chances, registering 34 touches in the opposition box compared to Sunderland’s 13.
This tactical approach represents Arteta’s evolution beyond the possession-obsessed philosophy inherited from his mentor Guardiola, instead prioritising defensive solidity before explosive transitions.
Zubimendi’s 25-Yard Thunderbolt
The breakthrough arrived in the 42nd minute through Martín Zubimendi’s stunning strike from outside the box, a goal that belied Arsenal’s first-half struggles.
Arsenal had been largely ineffective before this moment, with Sunderland’s compact 4-3-2-1 defensive shape successfully negating their usual build-up patterns.
Zubimendi’s fifth Premier League goal this season demonstrated his evolution beyond the deep-lying playmaker role he occupied at Real Sociedad, where he scored just six goals across his final two seasons combined.
The Gyökeres Impact: Super-Sub Excellence
Viktor Gyökeres transformed the contest after his 60th-minute introduction. The Swedish international doubled Arsenal’s lead six minutes later, sliding home from Kai Havertz’s low cross before sealing victory with a 90+3′ tap-in.
Gyökeres contributed 0.92 xG across his two goals, showcasing clinical finishing that has seen him reach eight Premier League goals from 22 appearances.
Six of those strikes have come against promoted sides, suggesting tactical adaptability to exploit teams adjusting to top-flight intensity.
Liverpool vs Man City in EPL Matchweek 25 Drama
The EPL Matchweek 25 most-focused result unfolded at Anfield, where Liverpool and Manchester City delivered 13 minutes of chaos that potentially defined their respective seasons.
City dominated the game with 54% possession and 2.75 xG compared to Liverpool’s 1.21, yet couldn’t convert territorial superiority into goals in the first half.
Liverpool improved after the halftime, with Hugo Ekitike squandering two excellent opportunities before Szoboszlai’s intervention.
Szoboszlai’s 35-Yard Masterpiece
Szoboszlai’s 74th-minute free-kick from 35 yards ranks amongst the season’s finest goals, curling viciously away from Gianluigi Donnarumma before crashing in off the post.
Operating at right-back due to injuries to Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley, and Jeremie Frimpong, the Hungarian captain demonstrated his versatility whilst contributing offensively.
His WhoScored rating of 7.0 reflected a complete performance before his late dismissal for denying Haaland a goal-scoring opportunity.
City’s Championship Mentality: Silva and Haaland Deliver
Bernardo Silva’s 84th-minute equaliser originated from City’s persistent attacking approach, with Haaland cushioning a header into Silva’s path for a clinical finish.
This represented Silva’s first Premier League goal of the season, arriving at the most opportune moment to rescue City’s title challenge.
Haaland’s 90+3′ penalty proved even more decisive, dispatched with trademark composure despite Anfield’s intimidating atmosphere.
The Norwegian has now scored in crucial fixtures throughout this campaign, underlining why Guardiola considers him irreplaceable.
Conclusion: Six Points and Dwindling Margins
Matchweek 25 clarified the Premier League title race’s current reality whilst highlighting the psychological battles that will define its conclusion.
Arsenal’s six-point advantage represents their largest cushion at this stage since 2004, yet City’s capacity to manufacture victories from adversity suggests this championship remains volatile.
Arsenal registered 17 wins from 25 matches compared to City’s 15 from 25, meaning Guardiola’s side must maintain perfect form whilst hoping for the Gunners’ slip-ups.
Michael Carrick’s Manchester United revival continues unabated, with four consecutive victories positioning them firmly in fourth place ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea.
The resurgent form suggests Champions League qualification remains achievable, particularly if they maintain tactical discipline whilst exploiting opponents’ defensive vulnerabilities.
Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea also threatens the top four, sitting just one point behind United after four consecutive Premier League victories.
As the calendar turns toward March’s crucial fixtures, Arsenal face the pressure of protecting their advantage whilst City chase with the relentlessness of defending champions.
Every tactical adjustment, every squad rotation decision, and every moment of individual brilliance now carries championship-defining weight.
The coming weeks will reveal whether Arsenal possess the mental fortitude to withstand City’s pursuit or if Guardiola’s tactical mastery can orchestrate another improbable comeback.
