Erling Haaland and Manchester City seem to be on the upswing following the team's recent struggles under Pep Guardiola. Haaland's brace in a 4-1 victory over West Ham marked City's first consecutive Premier League wins since late October. The defending champions endured a rough patch, winning only once in nine league matches, causing them to slip out of the Champions League qualification spots.
Although City's 2-0 win against Leicester was unconvincing, their performance against West Ham showed promise, especially with Haaland's clinical finishing. The Norwegian striker netted a header and a delightful chip, showcasing his prowess in front of goal. Alongside an own goal and a strike from Phil Foden, Niclas Fullkrug pulled one back for West Ham as City maintained their sixth-place position.
Meanwhile, Chelsea's title aspirations took a hit as they extended their winless streak to four league games after a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. Jean-Philippe Mateta's late equalizer nullified Cole Palmer's opener, leaving Chelsea in fourth place, nine points adrift of leaders Liverpool.
In another fixture, Alexander Isak continued his impressive form by scoring in his seventh consecutive Premier League game to secure Newcastle a 2-1 victory over Tottenham. Isak's fortuitous winner, deflected off a Tottenham defender, sealed Newcastle's fifth straight win while Tottenham struggled with just one point from their last four matches.
Southampton's woes continued as they suffered a humiliating 5-0 defeat at home to Brentford, marking their third consecutive loss under new manager Ivan Juric. Bryan Mbeumo's brace added to Southampton's misery, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the table with just one point from four games under Juric's tenure.
Elsewhere, Aston Villa triumphed 2-1 over Leicester, and Bournemouth secured a 1-0 home win against Everton. The Premier League landscape continues to evolve as teams jostle for position in the standings.
