LONDON: Arsenal made a huge statement of their Premier League intent on Sunday, coming from behind to beat in-form Manchester United 3-2 in front of a raucous Emirates crowd.
United forward Marcus Rashford silenced the home fans with the opening goal but an equalizer from Eddie Nketiah and a wonderful second-half strike from Bukayo Saka turned the match on its head.
But the visitors, dangerous on the break throughout the match, levelled the pulsating encounter when Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez headed in after Arsenal failed to clear a corner.
The Gunners poured forward in search of a winner and eventually got the goal they deserved when Nketiah turned the ball home in the 90th minute.
Earlier, defending champions Manchester City had closed the gap to just two points with their 3-0 win against Wolves, courtesy of Erling Haaland’s fourth hat-trick of the season.
Scott McTominay replaced Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who was ineligible after picking up a fifth booking of the season in United’s midweek draw with Crystal Palace, with loan signing Wout Weghorst again leading the line.
New Arsenal arrival Leandro Trossard, who joined late last week from Brighton, had to settle for a place on the bench as Mikel Arteta named an unchanged team.
There is growing sense of belief at the Emirates that the Gunners can at last end their long wait for the Premier League title, which they have not won since 2004.
Arsenal flew out of the blocks, with Thomas Partey flashing just wide as they surged forward.
But it was United who broke the deadlock in the 17th minute in stunning style, when Bruno Fernandes found Rashford, who skipped past Partey with ease and powered a low drive into the corner of the net from 25 yards.
Arsenal were level just seven minutes later when in-form Nketiah lost Aaron Wan-Bissaka at the back post to nod home Granit Xhaka’s cross.
Now the wind was in the home team’s sails as they poured forward but United went close to re-taking the lead, McTominay forcing a diving save from Aaron Ramsdale.
Arteta was booked by referee Anthony Taylor just after the half-hour mark as emotions got the better of him but the first half ended all square after few clear-cut chances.
Arsenal were again first to threaten after the break, pouring forward in search of another goal and they took the lead in the 53rd minute.
Christian Eriksen stood off England’s Saka, who shifted the ball onto his left foot and fired unerringly past David de Gea in the United net from outside the box.
But a pulsating game took another twist when United drew level just six minutes later.
Ramsdale spilled the ball from a United corner and Lisandro Martinez threw himself at it, looping a header into the net.
Arsenal regrouped and Saka hit the post in a near repeat of his goal as De Gea watched nervously.
De Gea made a fine save when Nketiah blasted at him from close range as the clock ticked down, with United unable to control the ball for sustained spells.
United were close to holding out for the draw but Arsenal took all three points when Nketiah scored his second of the afternoon as a lengthy VAR check ruled him onside.
Arsenal beat Man Utd 3-2 to open up five-point Premier League lead
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Arsenal beat Man Utd 3-2 to open up five-point Premier League lead
- The Gunners took another giant step toward the title when Nketiah flicked home Martin Odegaard’s shot late on
- There is growing sense of belief at the Emirates that the Gunners can at last end their long wait for the Premier League title, which they have not won since 2004
Inter continue Scudetto march after Champions League humbling
- Milan will be favorites to win at Cremonese in Sunday’s early fixture, with the local rivals set to face off next weekend in a match which will in all likelihood have little impact on the destination of the Scudetto
MILAN, Italy: Inter Milan bounced back from Champions League elimination with Saturday’s 2-0 win over Genoa which continued their march toward the Serie A title.
Federico Dimarco’s brilliant volley just after the half-hour mark and Hakan Calhanoglu’s second-half penalty were enough for Inter to extend their already huge lead over AC Milan at the top of the table to 13 points.
Milan will be favorites to win at Cremonese in Sunday’s early fixture, with the local rivals set to face off next weekend in a match which will in all likelihood have little impact on the destination of the Scudetto.
Inter, whose fans unloaded a collection of anti-Milan chants in anticipation of the derby, have dropped just two points in 15 league matches and have been a cut above the rest in Italy’s top flight this season.
Their domestic dominance comes in stark contrast to the humiliating manner in which they were dumped out of the Champions League by Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night.
A 5-2 aggregate defeat to the Norwegian minnows cast doubts over not just the quality of Cristian Chivu’s team but of Italian football as a whole.
There was plenty of quality in Dimarco’s opener however, the Italy full-back beautifully placing a first-time finish from a tight angle after exchanging passes with Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Little else happened in a humdrum encounter until Alex Amorim handled a cross from Luis Henrique, whose shot had been tipped onto the post just moments before.
Calhanoglu calmly stroked home the spot-kick on his return to action following niggling muscle problems which have caused him issues since before Christmas, sealing the points for Inter.
Big Rom back
Romelu Lukaku kept Napoli on course for a Champions League spot with a last-gasp winner in the champions’ 2-1 victory over rock-bottom Verona, the Belgium forward’s first goal of the season.
Lukaku forced home Giovane’s cross to snatch the win for third-placed Napoli with the last kick of the game at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi.
Napoli had looked like dropping points in northern Italy when Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro levelled Rasmus Hojlund’s early opener in the 65th minute.
But Lukaku, who only played his first game of the season in late January, gave Napoli a huge win with both Como and Atalanta pushing for a top-four placing.
“I was a dead player before coming here,” said Lukaku to DAZN.
“This season has been difficult, but we’ve got to aim high.”
Napoli’s title defense is all but over as they trail Inter by 14 points after an injury-ravaged season.
Napoli were missing key midfielders Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne and Andre-Frank Anguissa on Saturday, as well as captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Verona, under interim coach Paolo Sammarco following the sacking of Paolo Zanetti earlier this month, are 10 points from safety after a 12th straight match without a win.
Como, who face Inter in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals on Tuesday, strolled to 3-1 victory over strugglers Lecce to continue their push for a first-ever qualification for European football.
Cesc Fabregas’s team are two points behind Roma, in fourth and Juventus’ opponents on Sunday, and five behind Napoli.
Como are also two points ahead of sixth-placed Juve who face Roma trying to stay in touch with the Champions League places after being eliminated from Europe’s elite club competition by Galatasaray on Wednesday.
