So, we have both a Premier League title race and a relegation battle to enjoy.
The latter closed right up once Nottingham Forest seemed to freeze in Yorkshire on Friday night.
The former became possible in the space of 10 short minutes on Sunday teatime, just when it looked like the trophy was moving inexorably closer to North London.
The statistics suggest Forest could well have got something in their 3-1 defeat at fellow strugglers Leeds.
Yet despite the teams being locked on the same number of points going into the contest, Forest were surprisingly lacklustre.
Two goals in the space of four minutes from Jayden Boyle and Noah Okafor midway through the first half set spirited Leeds on their way and they never looked back.
When the resurgent Dominic Calvert-Lewin added the third shortly after the restart, Daniel Farke’s men were home and hosed and Forest could only muster a consolation with four minutes remaining through debutant Lorenzo Lucca.
They certainly cannot afford to drop any more points when basement battlers Wolves arrive at the City Ground in midweek.
That’s because the gap between themselves and West Ham, in the final relegation place, is down to just three points.
The Hammers closed the gap with two first half goals securing a 2-0 win at Burnley who, like Wolves, have long seemed certain for the drop.
Crysencio Summerville opened the scoring with his fifth goal in as many games and, once new signing Taty Castellanos headed in a second after just 26 minutes, the outcome was never in doubt.
Having gone 10 Premier League matches without a win, West Ham finally appear to have built some momentum from Callum Wilson’s dramatic late goal at Spurs three weeks ago.
They have now collected nine points from the last 12 available and French defender Axel Disasi – a deadline-day arrival on loan from Chelsea – provided a steadying influence in defence as West Ham ended a 21-game run without a clean sheet.
And so to the top where Arsenal enjoyed a comprehensive 3-0 success at home to Sunderland.
It was a routine victory in one sense as the Gunners moved nine points clear at the summit.
Despite being big favourites for the drop at the start of the season with the SBOTOP Premier League 2026 betting odds, promoted Sunderland were no cannon fodder though and showed in bursts why they have done so well since their return to the top flight.
Ultimately the strength in depth from the home bench proved key as Mikel Arteta’s men eased clear in the closing stages.
It took a superb strike from Martin Zubimendi to break the visitors’ resistance three minutes before the break.
Brian Brobbey, who scored a very late equaliser when the sides met in November, was a threat again and saw an effort cleared off the line.
It was big money summer signing Viktor Gyokeres who made the game safe with a fierce shot and then, in stoppage time, a close range finish.
Seven of the Swede’s eight league goals this season have come against the newly-promoted sides, with these two against Sunderland adding to three against Leeds and one against Burnley.
But they all count and he is providing them with an attacking option they have not had for a number of years.
Certainly, this type of game is not going to define what has already been an excellent season for Sunderland.
And so onto the final game of the weekend, and the big one of the weekend, as Liverpool hosted Manchester City.
A dramatic 93rd minute penalty for Erling Haaland won the day for City and closed the gap at the top back to six points to keep them in the hunt.
That looked highly unlikely when Dominik Szoboszlai struck a world class free kick which left a talent as Gianluigi Donnarumma rooted to the spot with 16 minutes remaining.
However, City showed their true character when Bernardo Silva converted Haaland’s header across goal to draw them level.
And when home goalkeeper Alisson bundled over Matheus Nunes in the penalty area in the third minute of stoppage time, Haaland made no mistake from the spot to net his 21st league goal of the campaign.
There was still more drama to come as Donnarumma produced a top drawer save to prevent Alexis Mac Allister from equalising before Rayan Cherki had a goal disallowed with play brought back to show Hungarian Szoboszlai a red card.
By the time almost quarter of an hour or so of stoppage time had been played, City had their first league double over the Merseysiders since 1937.
The final word goes to Marc Guehi who overcame the juvenile jeering throughout from home fans, presumably bitter that he joined City last month after his September move to Liverpool was pulled by Crystal Palace on deadline day.
The former Eagles captain was excellent and showed the hosts just what they are missing after City swapped last month – a £20 million snip and a key performer in a clash which will be remembered for some of the most compelling Premier League 2026 highlights you are likely to see.
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