MANCHESTER, April 19 (Reuters) - Erling Haaland ended a Premier League scoring drought to fire Manchester City to a 2-1 victory over leaders Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, cutting the gap to three points with a game in hand. Rayan Cherki opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a solo strike, but City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s hesitation minutes later allowed Kai Havertz to pounce and level. Haaland restored City’s lead in the 65th minute with his 23rd league goal of the season after Nico O’Reilly’s cross, a decisive finish that kept City’s title bid alive. The win moved City to 67 points from 32 matches; Arsenal remain on 70 from 33 and must juggle domestic fixtures with a Champions League semi-final. The weekend also saw Liverpool and Aston Villa win late to bolster their European hopes, while Morgan Gibbs‑White’s hat‑trick boosted Nottingham Forest’s survival bid and left Burnley perilously close to relegation. City can overtake Arsenal by beating Burnley in their midweek fixture, making the run‑in increasingly tense for both clubs.

MANCHESTER, April 19, 2026 — Erling Haaland ended a Premier League scoring drought to fire Manchester City to a 2-1 win over leaders Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, trimming the gap at the top to three points with a game in hand. Rayan Cherki put City ahead in the 16th minute before Kai Havertz pounced on a rare Gianluigi Donnarumma error to level almost immediately. Haaland’s 65th-minute finish — his 23rd league goal of the season — proved decisive as City moved to 67 points from 32 matches while Arsenal sit on 70 from 33. The victory hands momentum to Pep Guardiola’s side, who can overtake Arsenal with a win in their game in hand against Burnley. The match also featured a heated confrontation between Haaland and Arsenal defender Gabriel that drew yellow cards and sparked pundit outrage; VAR reviewed the incident and officials kept the bookings, with the Football Association unable to impose retrospective action because the on-field decision was made and reviewed during the game. Elsewhere Liverpool and Aston Villa grabbed late winners, and Morgan Gibbs‑White’s hat trick boosted Nottingham Forest’s survival push.

Ibrahima Konaté said on April 20, 2026 he is close to agreeing a new contract to remain at Liverpool after prolonged talks that have stretched more than a year. The 26-year-old France centre-back, whose current deal expires at the end of the season, told reporters after Liverpool’s 2-1 Merseyside derby win over Everton that discussions with sporting director Richard Hughes are “in a good way” and there is a “big chance” he will be at Anfield next season. Konaté, signed from RB Leipzig in 2021 for around £35–36 million, has been linked with Real Madrid but has been a key defender alongside Virgil van Dijk and said he wants to commit his future to the club. The season has been challenging for both player and club — Liverpool sit outside the top four and have been knocked out of domestic and European cups — and Konaté revealed he has dealt with personal difficulties this year, including the death of his father in January. A new deal would shape Liverpool’s summer transfer priorities and defensive planning.

The NBA on Sunday named finalists for its 2025-26 regular-season awards, headlined by a three-way race for Most Valuable Player featuring reigning winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City), three-time winner Nikola Jokic (Denver) and first-time nominee Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio). Wembanyama is also a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year alongside Chet Holmgren and Ausar Thompson. Rookie of the Year candidates are Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe. Other notable finalist groups include Coach of the Year (J.B. Bickerstaff, Mitch Johnson, Joe Mazzulla), Sixth Man (Tim Hardaway Jr., Jaime Jaquez Jr., Keldon Johnson), Clutch Player (Anthony Edwards, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray) and Most Improved Player (Deni Avdija, Jalen Duren, Nickeil Alexander-Walker). The league revealed the lists during NBC’s broadcast of a first-round playoff game, and will begin announcing winners during playoff telecasts starting Monday with Defensive Player of the Year, followed by Clutch Player, Sixth Man and Most Improved later in the week. The ballots reflected recent eligibility decisions, including appeals that allowed Luka Dončić and Cade Cunningham to be considered despite falling short of the usual 65-game threshold.

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai said on April 20, 2026 that talks over a new contract at Anfield have “no real progression”, leaving his future unsettled despite insisting he is “completely relaxed”. The Hungary captain, 25, whose current deal runs until the summer of 2028, told reporters after Liverpool’s dramatic 2-1 Merseyside derby win at Everton that the situation is “not really in my hands any more” and that he is focused on the remaining five league games. Szoboszlai has been the club’s standout performer this season, registering around 12 goals and nine assists in 48 appearances, and supplied the stoppage-time corner for Virgil van Dijk’s 100th-minute winner. Reports say his representatives (EM Sports) have been in discussions with Liverpool, while he has also been linked with interest from clubs including Real Madrid. The club currently holds a strong negotiating position given the more than two years left on his contract and its ongoing push for Champions League qualification.

Roman Reigns defeated CM Punk in the main event of Night 2 of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to win the World Heavyweight Championship, reclaiming a place atop WWE's card. The event, held over the weekend with a reported Night 2 crowd of about 55,255 and a combined two-night attendance above 106,000, featured several high-profile moments: Oba Femi, making a marquee WrestleMania debut, scored a surprise victory over Brock Lesnar in the opening match and Lesnar left his gloves and boots in the ring in a gesture that prompted widespread retirement speculation. Rhea Ripley regained the WWE Women’s Championship from Jade Cargill, and Penta retained the Intercontinental title in a multi-man ladder match. Promoters and talent have already started discussing future bookings — including possible send-off matches for Lesnar at SummerSlam — while WWE moves to capitalise on breakout pushes for Femi and renewed momentum behind Reigns’ title run.