The Premier League title race is far from over! Manchester City’s chances of lifting the trophy appeared to be slipping away after Dominik Szoboszlai struck another spectacular free-kick at Anfield on Sunday, but Pep Guardiola’s side staged a dramatic comeback to beat Liverpool 2-1 and reduce the gap to leaders Arsenal to just six points.
In France, Paris Saint-Germain swept aside Marseille in Le Classique to reclaim top spot in Ligue 1 from surprise challengers Lens. Meanwhile, Barcelona and Real Madrid both recorded victories again, leaving the situation unchanged in Spain, with the Catalans holding a narrow one-point advantage over their fierce rivals.
In Italy, Inter’s steady improvement continued, and Sunday’s emphatic 5-0 thrashing of Sassuolo saw Christian Chivu’s men extend their lead at the top of Serie A to eight points, although city rivals AC Milan still have a game in hand.
Bayern Munich also responded strongly after a brief wobble in the Bundesliga, demolishing Hoffenheim to re-establish a six-point cushion over Borussia Dortmund.
So, who stood out as the main winners and losers from the latest round of European action? GOAL takes a closer look below…
WINNER: Viktor Gyokeres
Viktor Gyokeres’ goal against Chelsea in the first leg of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final came courtesy of a major mistake by Robert Sanchez, but at the time it felt like it could mark a turning point for the struggling Swedish forward — and that prediction now appears accurate.
Gyokeres is still not heavily involved in Arsenal’s build-up play, but he is beginning to mirror an Erling Haaland-style role: limited touches, maximum impact. In fact, no Premier League player has scored more goals (six) than the much-criticised £55 million signing since January 1.
“Viktor is hard to read emotionally,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said after the striker netted twice off the bench in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Sunderland. “He stays very balanced and that’s what we need — stability.
“He pushes himself every day to improve, and that’s a great quality. Confidence is the key. When you feel trusted and important, that’s when you reach your highest level. We are fully behind him and he’s in a really positive moment right now.”
Although Gyokeres still faces stiff competition for a regular starting role — especially with Kai Havertz back in form — he no longer looks like one of the poorest signings of the season.
LOSER: Liverpool’s top-five hopes
With only six minutes remaining at a roaring Anfield on Sunday, Liverpool looked on course for a morale-boosting win over Manchester City. But a deflected cross fell to Erling Haaland, who headed the ball back into the danger area for Bernardo Silva to equalise.
Then, deep into stoppage time, Alisson Becker clumsily fouled Matheus Nunes in the box, handing City a penalty that Haaland converted to keep their title push alive.
Liverpool have effectively been out of the title picture since their defeat to City back in November, and now their place in the top five is under serious threat.
Arne Slot praised his side’s second-half display while complaining about the referee’s failure to dismiss Marc Guehi for denying Mohamed Salah a clear chance. However, Liverpool’s late collapse felt painfully familiar.
Haaland’s penalty marked the fourth injury-time winner they have conceded this season — a joint Premier League record — with 13 games still to play. Slot has therefore come under renewed criticism from frustrated supporters, with Liverpool winning just once in their last seven matches.
Should they fail to beat Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday and slip further behind Chelsea and Manchester United in the Champions League race, calls for managerial change are likely to grow louder on Merseyside.
LOSER: Eddie Howe
Kieran Trippier refused to comment on Eddie Howe’s future after Newcastle’s shocking 3-2 home defeat by Brentford, insisting the players alone were responsible for dropping to 12th in the Premier League.
Alan Shearer instead blamed the club’s hierarchy, arguing that Howe has suffered because of a disastrous summer transfer window.
“It was a difficult situation with the Isak strike and no sporting director,” Shearer told *Match of the Day*. “But the summer signings, apart from Malick Thiaw, haven’t worked so far. They spent huge money on four players and haven’t seen returns close to what those players achieved elsewhere.”
Yet, as both Trippier and Shearer know, responsibility usually falls on the coach. If Newcastle miss out on Champions League qualification again, Howe’s job will be in serious danger.
“There’s a harsh truth,” Howe admitted. “I need to work better and do more. I take responsibility for everything on the pitch. I must find solutions — quickly.”
Another defeat on Tuesday against struggling Tottenham would only worsen the situation.
Winner: La Masia
Barcelona were urged a few transfer windows ago to stop spending and instead rely on La Masia while fixing their financial problems. Their youth academy continues to justify that approach by producing elite talent.
Lamine Yamal remains the jewel of La Masia and scored his 15th goal of the season in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Mallorca — remarkable for an 18-year-old. But he was not the only youngster to shine.
Marc Bernal (18) replaced Dani Olmo in the second half and scored his first senior goal with a composed finish. Shortly after, Tomas Marques (19) made his debut.
“You could see the whole bench celebrating Bernal’s goal,” said Hansi Flick. “It shows the unity of this group. Many of them come from La Masia — it’s different from other clubs.”
Whatever Barcelona’s struggles, their ability to develop top footballers remains intact.
LOSER: Ruben Amorim
Had Ruben Amorim stayed in charge, Kobbie Mainoo might have left Manchester United in January. The midfielder had not started a Premier League match in the first half of the season and wanted regular football to revive his England prospects.
Since Amorim’s departure, Mainoo has played every minute of United’s last four wins and looks again like the prodigy who earned a place in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad.
Ian Wright said after the 2-0 win over Tottenham: “It’s great to see Kobbie playing, but it’s embarrassing for Amorim. A United academy player was almost forced out because he wasn’t given chances.”
The entire squad has improved under Michael Carrick, largely because he abandoned Amorim’s rigid 3-4-3 system and placed players in natural roles. Amorim’s prospects of coaching in England again now appear extremely slim.
Winner: Ousmane Dembele
Ousmane Dembele winning the Ballon d’Or while injured felt sadly predictable, and fears grew that fitness issues would derail his attempt to defend the award.
Instead, Dembele has started 2026 in explosive form. His brace in PSG’s 5-0 destruction of Marseille made it five goals in five Ligue 1 matches. His second goal — bursting past two defenders before smashing the ball into the roof of the net — summed up his brilliance.
“It was an incredible goal,” said Luis Enrique, as PSG delivered their most complete performance of the season.
Captain Marquinhos added: “We wanted to send a message. We’re improving physically, tactically and mentally. This match showed everything working together.”
With Dembele back at his best, PSG’s ambitions once again look limitless.
LOSER: Endrick
Paulo Fonseca defended Endrick after the Lyon loanee was sent off in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Nantes. The Brazilian’s kick at Dehmaine Tabibou was not especially violent, but still unnecessary.
Fonseca argued Endrick was being targeted: “Opponents try to intimidate him. Referees must protect talented players.”
Yet the reality is that Lyon were fortunate his dismissal did not cost them victory. With his side chasing Champions League qualification, Endrick must learn to handle pressure and provocation.
Suspension time on the sidelines also harms his chances of breaking into Brazil’s World Cup squad this summer.
WINNER: Napoli
As Scott McTominay limped off during Napoli’s dramatic 3-2 win over Genoa, Antonio Conte joked: “Soon I’ll have to play myself!”
Napoli’s injury list is growing, with several key players unavailable. When McTominay and Alessandro Buongiorno were forced off, matters looked bleak.
Still, despite playing the final 15 minutes with 10 men after Juan Jesus’ red card, Napoli snatched victory thanks to Rasmus Hojlund’s 95th-minute penalty.
“We never stopped believing,” Conte said. “Every week brings new problems, but the players respond with heart.”
LOSER: La Liga
Rayo Vallecano’s relegation clash with Real Oviedo was postponed due to an unplayable pitch. Oviedo have now appealed to the Spanish FA for the match to be awarded to them, claiming procedures were not followed.
Club president Martin Pelaez said: “We feel unfairly treated. We are fighting for our rights.”
The controversy has sparked criticism of Spanish football’s administration, with Santi Cazorla declaring that La Liga is “light years behind the Premier League.”
WINNER: Luis Diaz
Shortly after Cody Gakpo was substituted following another quiet display for Liverpool, Luis Diaz completed a hat-trick for Bayern Munich in a 5-1 win over Hoffenheim.
Diaz has already matched last season’s tally of 13 goals in just 20 appearances. Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen called him “a whirlwind,” while sporting director Max Eberl praised his passion and impact.
Liverpool, meanwhile, can only regret letting him go.
LOSER: Cristian Romero
Cristian Romero has grown increasingly frustrated at Tottenham, but there was no excuse for his reckless red card in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Manchester United.
Dismissed after just 28 minutes for a dangerous challenge on Casemiro, Romero now faces a four-match suspension — a huge blow for Spurs.
As captain, he is meant to lead by example. Instead, his indiscipline has made a difficult situation even worse, turning him from leader into liability.
