Aston Villa, Eze dent Arsenal, Liverpool’s title hopes

Arsenal’s English midfielder #10 Emile Smith Rowe (L) and Arsenal’s Japanese defender #18 Takehiro Tomiyasu (R) react to going two goals behind during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Aston VIlla at the Emirates Stadium in London on April 14, 2024. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR ‘LIVE’ SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES. AN ADDITIONAL 40 IMAGES MAY BE USED IN EXTRA TIME. NO VIDEO EMULATION. SOCIAL MEDIA IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES. AN ADDITIONAL 40 IMAGES MAY BE USED IN EXTRA TIME. NO USE IN BETTING PUBLICATIONS, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS. – RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /

On one of the craziest days in the 2003/24 English Premier League, Arsenal and Liverpool contrived to lose at home to Aston Villa and Crystal Palace respectively, and hand the title initiative to defending champions, Manchester City.

City had beaten Luton 5-1 on Saturday to climb to the top of the league on 73 points, but Liverpool and Arsenal were expected to routinely beat Villa and Palace to get back to the second and first positions.

But the outsiders had other ideas.The day started with Liverpool losing to Crystal Palace with Eberechi Eze’s goal making the difference.

Even when