Alexandre Lacazette extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run to 14 games and dealt a blow to Liverpool’s quest to win the Premier League for the first time in nearly three decades by salvaging a 1-1 draw at the Emirates on Saturday.
James Milner’s opener just after the hour mark looked set to send Jurgen Klopp’s men three points clear of champion Manchester City at the top of the table.
However, Lacazette struck eight minutes from time to give the hosts a well-deserved point from an enthralling encounter.
Later Tottenham withstood mounting injury problems and a spirited Wolves fightback to claim a tense 3-2 victory at Molineux on Saturday.
On an evening when the depth of his squad seemed at risk of being exposed with an injury to Mousa Dembele and a shaky Premier League debut by Juan Foyth, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino saw his side almost contrive to throw away a 3-0 lead.
Yet goals from Erik Lamela, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane inside the first 61 minutes did prove enough for victory despite two late penalties from Wolves setting up a grandstand finale.
Vinicius excels
Santiago Solari tasted victory in his first La Liga match in charge of Real Madrid but he had 18-year-old Vinicius Junior to thank for the 2-0 win over Real Valladolid on Saturday.
Solari threw Vinicius on with the score goalless and tension building at the Santiago Bernabeu but the striker delivered when he forced defender Olivas to turn it into his own goal, before Sergio Ramos’ late penalty gave the scoreline a deceptively comfortable look.
Madrid’s day might have been even better had Rayo Vallecano seen out the 2-1 lead it enjoyed over Barcelona with four minutes left at Vallecas.
Instead, Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez scored for Barca in the 87th and 89th minutes to pull off a remarkable comeback, in the absence of Lionel Messi.
It means Ernesto Valverde’s side sits four points clear at the top of La Liga , seven ahead of Real and now four up on Atletico Madrid.
Praise for Ronaldo
Massimiliano Allegri praised Cristiano Ronaldo’s leadership skills as Juventus beat Cagliari 3-1 for its 10th win in 11 games to maintain a six-point cushion at the top of Serie A on Saturday.
Paulo Dybala scored after just 44 seconds, with a Filip Bradaric own-goal accounting for Juventus’ second after 39 minutes, two minutes after Joao Pedro had pulled the Sardinians level.
Ronaldo failed to add to his seven-goal league tally for new club Juventus with the Portuguese superstar hitting the woodwork, but the 33-year-old’s pass across goal set up Colombian Juan Cuadrado for his first of the season three minutes from time.
“He has always been a leader and an extraordinary player, as you saw from the assist he put on Cuadrado’s foot,” said Allegri.
The results:La Liga: Eibar 2 (Jordan 69, Diop 90+1) bt Alaves 1 (Garcia 4).
Serie A: Lazio 4 (Immobile 26, 35, Cataldi 59, Parolo 70) bt SPAL 1 (Antenucci 28).
Saturday: Premier League: Arsenal 1 (Lacazette 82) drew with Liverpool 1 (Milner 61); Wolves 2 (Neves 68-pen, Jimenez 79-pen) lost to Tottenham 3 (Lamela 27, Moura 30, Kane 61).
La Liga: Real Madrid 2 (Olivas 83-og, Ramos 88-pen) bt Real Valladolid 0; Valencia 0 lost to Girona 1 (Pons 48); Rayo Vallecano 2 (Pozo 35, Garcia 57) lost to Barcelona 3 (Suarez 11, 89, Dembele 87).
Serie A: Fiorentina 1 (Veretout 33-pen) drew with Roma 1 (Florenzi 85); Juventus 3 (Dybala 1, Bradaric 38-og, Cuadrado 87) bt Cagliari 1 (Joao Pedro 36).
