On the same matchday, Nottingham Forest secured three valuable points in their fight against relegation.
Chelsea once again asserted their dominance against Crystal Palace , worsening the Eagles ‘ crisis in the 23rd round of the English league.
The key moment of the first half came in the 34th minute. Jaydee Canvot made a mistake in possession, Estêvão capitalized on the error, beat Tyrick Mitchell and fired a low shot across goal, giving Dean Henderson no chance.
In the second half, Chelsea came out strong and quickly disrupted the home team’s defense. Estêvão found João Pedro behind the defensive line, and the Brazilian forward calmly finished, shooting between Henderson’s legs.
Shortly after, a cross from Reece James caused problems again, Henderson failed to hold onto the ball and Canvot handled it in the area, allowing Enzo Fernández to calmly convert the penalty.
Adam Wharton’s sending off, with two yellow cards in just a few minutes, left Palace even more vulnerable. Sánchez denied Lerma a goal near the end, before Chris Richards pulled one back, but it wasn’t enough to avoid another defeat.
At St James’ Park, Aston Villa secured a historic victory against Newcastle ( 0-2 ), achieving their first away win against the Magpies since 2005.
In the 19th minute, Emiliano Buendía made the difference with a sublime, curling shot from outside the box into the top left corner.
Newcastle tried to react and pressed forward before halftime, but Martínez was decisive once again, denying a close-range header from Lewis Miley.
In the second half, the pressure from the hosts continued, although without creating clear chances.
Late in the game, Watkins sealed the result with a precise header after a perfect cross from Lucas Digne, sending the visiting fans into raptures and bringing the Villains to within four points of league leaders Arsenal.
In another match of the day, Nottingham Forest beat Brentford 2-0 . The game started lively, with chances for both sides, but Forest’s efficiency ultimately made the difference.
Igor Jesus (19m) and an individual play by substitute Awoniyi (79m) secured the three important points in the fight to remain in the top tier of English football.