JARROD BOWEN

It must be getting harder and harder for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to deny his team is a genuine title challenger in the Premier League this season.

Arsenal remained in fourth place after Gabriel's header secured a 2-1 win at West Ham in the Premier League.

(AP Photo/Ian Walton) (Ian Walton)With north London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal neck and neck, the fight for Champions League qualification looks like being as hard fought as the title race in the English Premier League. It lifted Spurs above Arsenal into fourth place, the final qualification spot for the Champions League, but only on goal difference. Arsenal has two games in hand, the first being a tricky one at Crystal Palace on Monday. Fourth place might not be the ceiling for Tottenham and Arsenal, who have only the Premier League to focus on. That lifted West Ham into sixth place, above Manchester United, and three points behind Tottenham and Arsenal.

North London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal are neck and neck in the fight for Champions League qualification in the English Premier League.

Chelsea and West Ham had to come from behind to oust lower-league opposition in the FA Cup to reach the fifth round.

Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Takumi Minamino gave Liverpool a 3-0 Premier League win over Brentford.

Arsenal has failed to transfer its improved Premier League form to the FA Cup in losing 1-0 to second-tier Nottingham Forest in the second big shock of the third round.

Britain Soccer League Cup Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the English League Cup quarter-final soccer match between Liverpool and Leicester City, at Anfield Stadium, in Liverpool, England, Wednesday Dec. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Jon Super) (Jon Super)LONDON — (AP) — Antonio Conte will have to overcome former club Chelsea to reach the League Cup final early in his Tottenham career. A Premier League and FA Cup winner as Chelsea manager, Conte is trying to deliver Tottenham's first trophy since winning the League Cup in 2008. Diogo Jota scored Liverpool’s winning penalty in a 5-4 shootout win over Leicester after the game ended 3-3 after 90 minutes. After Ryan Bertrand's penalty for Leicester was saved by Kelleher, Jota responded by hitting the target to send Liverpool through.

Chelsea will play Tottenham in the League Cup semifinals and Arsenal will face Liverpool.

West Ham ended Liverpool’s 25-match unbeaten run in all competitions with a 3-2 victory that dislodged the team from third place in the Premier League.

West Ham ended Liverpool's 25-match unbeaten run in all competitions with a 3-2 victory that dislodged the team from third place in the Premier League.

West Ham has an unusual situation on its hands.

Jose Mourinho has lost a 10th match of the Premier League season with Tottenham.