Manchester City and Aston Villa kept the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal with important victories on February 11, 2026. City halved Arsenal’s advantage to three points after a convincing 3-0 win over Fulham. Meanwhile, Villa secured a late 1-0 victory against Brighton to remain firmly in the title conversation.
City’s clinical first-half display proved decisive at the Etihad Stadium. Antoine Semenyo opened the scoring in the 24th minute. He then set up Nico O’Reilly with a precise pass for the second goal. Erling Haaland completed the rout shortly afterward, netting his 22nd league goal this season. The three goals arrived in a 15-minute span, securing City’s 17th consecutive Premier League win against Fulham—the longest such run by one team over another in competition history.
Pep Guardiola praised his side’s progress. “The team in certain moments is growing, people are coming back. It is really, really important,” he said. City now sit on 53 points from 26 games. Arsenal, who face Brentford on Thursday, hold 56 points.
Villa Edge Brighton in Late Drama
Aston Villa’s title hopes appeared to fade as they struggled against Brighton at Villa Park. However, the hosts claimed all three points when Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood scored an own goal in the 86th minute. The result kept Villa in close pursuit of the top spots.
Brighton midfielder James Milner, aged 40, came off the bench during the match. He equaled Gareth Barry’s record with his 653rd top-flight appearance.
Liverpool Break Sunderland’s Home Record
Liverpool boosted their top-four aspirations with a 1-0 win at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light. Virgil van Dijk headed home from a Mohamed Salah corner just past the hour mark. Despite efforts from Sunderland’s Habib Diarra to clear, the ball crossed the line.
The victory ended Sunderland’s season-long unbeaten home record. Liverpool moved to sixth place with 42 points, two behind Chelsea. Van Dijk emphasized the need for consistency. “We can’t deny that it feels very big, but there are still 12 games to go,” he said.
Nottingham Forest Held by Wolves
Nottingham Forest missed a chance to pull clear of the relegation zone. They dominated Wolverhampton Wanderers at the City Ground but drew 0-0. Forest recorded an astonishing 35 goal attempts yet failed to score. Sean Dyche expressed frustration afterward. “It is very frustrating to dominate a game like that… it’s finding that killer moment,” he noted.
The draw left Forest in 17th place, three points above third-from-bottom West Ham. Wolves remain rooted to the bottom with nine points, just two ahead of Derby County’s record low total of 11 from 2007-08.
Burnley Stun Crystal Palace with Comeback
Burnley ended a 16-game winless run with a remarkable 3-2 victory at Crystal Palace. Palace led 2-0 after goals from new signing Jorgen Strand Larsen in the first 33 minutes. Burnley had not managed a shot on target until the 39th minute.
However, Hannibal Mejbri halved the deficit with a fine strike. Jaidon Anthony equalized with a low drive. In first-half stoppage time, Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson parried a shot, but the ball trickled in off teammate Jefferson Lerma for the winner. Burnley held firm after halftime to claim their first league win since October. The result lifted them nine points behind Forest.
Title Race Intensifies
The Premier League title race remains wide open. Arsenal maintain a slender lead, but City and Villa have shown strong form. Liverpool’s win keeps them in contention for Champions League qualification.
These results highlight the competition’s depth and unpredictability. With plenty of matches remaining, every point carries significant weight. Teams at both ends of the table continue to fight for survival and silverware as the season progresses toward its climax.
