LONDON (AFP) - Arsenal blew the race for a top-four Premier League finish wide open as first-half goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Laurent Koscielny saw the Gunners beat Chelsea 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday (Jan 19).
Chelsea remain in pole position for a return to Champions League football next season in fourth, but are now just three points ahead of Arsenal and a surging Manchester United, who beat Brighton earlier on Saturday to stretch caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's winning streak to seven games in all competitions.
Maurizio Sarri's men risk being caught after a fourth defeat in 11 league matches that underlined the need for a striker, as the club close in on signing Gonzalo Higuain on loan from Juventus.
Sarri again opted to start without a recognised centre-forward, with a largely anonymous Eden Hazard preferred in middle of a front three against an Arsenal defence that had kept just one Premier League clean sheet since September.
By contrast Arsenal boss Unai Emery's selection was vindicated, with Mesut Ozil on the bench for the whole match and a switch to a 4-4-2 that allowed Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to form a potent partnership up front.
Aubameyang should have opened the scoring after just five minutes when perfectly picked out by Lacazette's low cross, but he dragged his shot wide.
Kepa Arrizabalaga then produced a brilliant save to deny Koscielny from point-blank range, but it counted for little as from the resulting 14th-minute corner Arsenal took a deserved lead.
Â
Lacazette did well to stay on his feet as he skipped past Marcos Alonso and Pedro Rodriguez before smashing the ball past Kepa at his near post.
Aubameyang should have doubled Arsenal's lead moments later but fired too close to Kepa when clean through.
Chelsea's start was horribly reminiscent of the 3-1 defeat at Tottenham in November that began their dip in form after a fine start to Sarri's reign at Stamford Bridge.
However, Arsenal's defence remained vulnerable when put under pressure and Pedro could have levelled when his lob over Bernd Leno shaved the outside of the post.
Aubameyang came close again, this time in spectacular fashion with an overhead kick that flew inches wide with Kepa beaten.
Chelsea were repeatedly caught out by Arsenal's well-worked set-pieces and paid for it again, albeit in fortunate fashion for the Gunners, six minutes before the break.
Sead Kolasinac headed down Lucas Torreira's free-kick into the path of Sokratis Papastathopoulos and his cross picked out the unmarked Koscielny.
The Arsenal captain mistimed his header, but the ball bounced in off his shoulder for his first goal since he ruptured his Achilles in April.
Chelsea could have got a foothold in the game before half-time as David Luiz's header came back off the post.
But in keeping with so many of their performances of late, Chelsea created little thereafter despite dominating possession.
Olivier Giroud was given a warm welcome back to the Emirates when he entered as a substitute, but even with the French international as a focal point, the visitors were toothless.
Sarri will hope Higuain, who scored 38 goals when the pair first worked together at Napoli in the 2015/16 season, is the answer.
Football: Manchester City will not rest amid packed schedule Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has warned his side any complacency at St James' Park would be punished by Rafa Benitez's
Manchester City v Chelsea: Aguero set to burnish reputation
ABERDEEN, Scotland (AP) — A joint World Cup bid by North and South Korea is being talked up by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. "I have been hearing for the Women's World Cup in 2023, the two
Infantino says joint Korean Women's World Cup bid possible
The long trophy streak has, at long last, been broken. After hoovering up all 11 trophies on offer in the previous three seasons, Albirex Niigata finally tasted defeat when Home United triumphed 5-4 on penalties to lift the Community Shield last night as the new Singapore Premier League (SPL) season kicked off.
Home snap Albirex's title-winning streak - theworldnews.net
Anumanthan signed for Home United in mid 2017 due to National Service commitments and featured his first game for the protectors against his former club Hougang United in October later that year. He went on to score his first goal for the club against rivals Warriors FC in a 2-1 loss.
Toyota operating profit growth to drop this year on revenue slip
Messi's motivation spurs on Barcelona, says Rakitic. Thomas ALLNUTT. AFP April 30, 2019, 5:01 PM GMT. Ivan Rakitic says Messi is proving an inspiration for Barcelona ahead of Liverpool semi-final
Messi's Motivation Spurs On Barcelona, Says Rakitic
newsblenda.com/post/football/messis-motivation-spurs-on-barcelona-says-rakitic.html
Rakitic believes Barcelona's home advantage is significant. "I understand he wanted to take a bit of pressure off his players, he wants them to see it as another stadium. All I can say is playing at Camp Nou is a different thing, something special and you have to respect that." Valverde added: "Our fans can be decisive.
Messi's motivation spurs on Barcelona, says Rakitic
Sergio Ramos concedes that Cristiano Ronaldo was "very decisive" for Real Madrid, but insists "winning is always the objective" even with Real's only objective with or without Ronaldo.
New Real Madrid tested in Champions League without Ronaldo
Real Madrid sign Jovic for 60 million euros - report - Reuters
Cristiano Ronaldo expects to be back 'in a week or two' after suffering an apparent hamstring injury during Portugal's draw with Serbia. Ronaldo, the Juventus forward, limped off throughout
Ronaldo Picks Up Injury In Portugal Draw - Thewistle
May 19, 2019 · Vincent Kompany left a victorious Manchester City dressing room at Wembley for the fifth and final time knowing that his secret would be out soon enough. "Family commitments," was the line
Vincent Kompany - Wikipedia
(Reuters) - Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has admitted sending a member of his coaching staff to spy on Derby County ahead of their Championship (second-tier) match on Friday. Derby said earlier that local police had spoken to a person acting suspiciously outside their training ground on Thursday.
Leeds United Manager Marcelo Bielsa Admits Spying on Derby
VIDEO Newcastle United 2 - 0 Huddersfield (Premier League) Highlights. February 23, 2019. Newcastle plunge 10-man Huddersfield closer to the drop. Highlights1.
LONDON (AFP) - Ryan Giggs has responded to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's criticism of the "Class of 92" by insisting players with "over 2,000 games between us" are entitled to have an opinion about
Giggs hits back after Zlatan criticism of Man Utd 'Class of 92'
Madrid (AFP) - A Spanish court on Wednesday acquitted former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell, who spent nearly two years in pre-trial custody, of money laundering. Rosell, his wife and four others, were accused of "large-scale money laundering" of close to 20 million euros ($23 million) since 2006, relating to television rights and
Spain court acquits former FC Barcelona president of money
worldsoccertalk.com/2019/04/24/spain-court-acquits-former-fc-barcelona-president-of-money-laundering/
Madrid (AFP) - A Spanish court on Wednesday acquitted former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell, who spent nearly two years in pre-trial custody, of money laundering. Rosell, his wife and four others, were accused of "large-scale money laundering" of close to 20 million euros ($23 million) since 2
Wayne Rooney was on target as DC United brought a run of two consecutive defeats to an end with a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rapids. Rooney latched onto a throughball from Luciano Acosta to beat Tim Howard and score his first MLS goal and it looked like that might be enough for victory until Kellyn Acosta, who earlier missed a penalty, levelled.
Wayne Rooney scores clever free-kick winner as DC United edge
Young Lions stay in hunt for finals. Mar 25, 2019, 5:00 am. Brains over brawn. Mar 25, 2019, 5:00 am. Football: Singapore Under-22s hold group top seeds North Korea to keep AFC Championship hopes
Lions learning to hunt - Africa Geographic
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen