Erling Haaland set a new Premier League record with 35 goals as Manchester City defeated West Ham 3-0 on Wednesday to reclaim the top spot, while Liverpool defeated Fulham 1-0.
An undermanned Hammers forced City to fight hard to move one point ahead of Arsenal in the title race, with a game in hand remaining.
The visitors were without England internationals Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek, and Nayef Aguerd due to illness, while David Moyes could only select five outfield substitutes due to injuries.
However, Moyes’ men held out for 50 minutes before succumbing at the Etihad, leaving them rooted in the relegation zone.
The unusual figure of Nathan Ake broke the deadlock, rising highest to force home Riyad Mahrez’s free kick.
But the scorer of City’s second goal was no surprise, as Haaland raced onto Jack Grealish’s pass and deftly dinked the ball over the advancing Lukasz Fabianski.
The Norwegian broke Alan Shearer’s and Andy Cole’s records established for Blackburn and Newcastle in the 1990s.
As he walked off the field after full-time, Haaland was escorted by his teammates.
He will, however, fall far short of Everton’s Dixie Dean’s all-time scoring record for a season in the English top division of 60 established in 1927/28.
Phil Foden came off the bench to add the final flourish as his sweetly-struck volley deflected off Emerson Palmieri to leave Fabianski wrong-footed five minutes from time.
City’s 13th consecutive home win in 2023 edges Pep Guardiola’s men ever closer to a fifth Premier League title in six seasons.
The champions need just four wins from their remaining five games to ensure Arsenal are denied their first title in 19 years.
Defeat leaves West Ham still four points above the relegation zone with four games to play.
At Anfield, Liverpool refused to give up the fight for a top-four finish by keeping the pressure on Newcastle and Manchester United for the final two places in next season’s Champions League behind City and Arsenal.
Jurgen Klopp’s men have now won five league consecutive league games for the first time this season.
Mohamed Salah’s 29th goal of the season was the difference between the sides as the Egyptian shrugged off his recent struggles from the penalty spot to convert after Darwin Nunez had been fouled by Issa Diop six minutes before half-time.
Liverpool close to within four points of fourth-placed Manchester United, who have two games in hand.