LONDON: Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League for a day at least after dispatching relegation-threatened Luton 2-0 on Wednesday.
Martin Odegaard’s opener and an own goal by Daiki Hashioka in the first half meant it was a comfortable evening for the hosts as Arsenal provisionally moved one point ahead of Liverpool in the tight three-way race for the title.
Third-place Manchester City were playing Aston Villa in a later kickoff on Wednesday, while Liverpool can reclaim the lead when they host last-place Sheffield United on Thursday.
Facing a team in the relegation zone, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta took the opportunity to rotate his team and made five changes to the side that drew 0-0 at Man City on Sunday.
Bukayo Saka was left out of the squad completely after picking up a knock at the Etihad Stadium. The game was still all but decided before halftime.
Arsenal took the lead in the 24th when Emile Smith Rowe won possession in midfield and fed Odegaard, who exchanged passes with Kai Havertz before firing a low shot inside the near post.
Smith Rowe was heavily involved in the second as well as he drove along the left byline in the 44th before trying to pick out the charging Reiss Nelson, with Hashioka turning the ball into his own net as he tried to prevent his opponent from scoring.
Nelson was making his first Premier League start since July of the pandemic-interrupted 2020 season and was initially announced as the goalscorer — to a huge cheer from the crowd — before it was changed to an own goal.
Luton have proven time and again this season that they can never be counted out of games, with Arsenal needing a 97th-minute winner from Declan Rice to secure a 4-3 victory in the reverse fixture in December after the hosts had twice come back from a deficit.
There was no such drama this time, though, as Arsenal easily saw out the win in the second half, with goalkeeper David Raya hardly troubled.
Luton stayed in 18th place, three points from safety.
Arsenal climb above Liverpool after beating Luton 2-0 in Premier League
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Arsenal climb above Liverpool after beating Luton 2-0 in Premier League
- Martin Odegaard’s opener and an own goal by Daiki Hashioka in the first half meant it was a comfortable evening for the hosts
- Liverpool can reclaim the lead when they host last-place Sheffield United on Thursday
Neymar to undergo knee surgery after helping Santos avoid the drop
- The 33-year-old returned to his childhood club Santos in January after a stint in Saudi Arabia and had a crucial impact in his team’s survival in the Brazilian top flight, scoring five goals in the last four matches
- He did not provide details on the surgery or a timeline on his expected recovery
SANTOS, SAO PAULO: Neymar will undergo knee surgery after playing through the pain to help Santos avoid relegation with a 3-0 win over Cruzeiro on Sunday, raising more doubts about the winger’s chances of playing at next year’s World Cup.
The 33-year-old returned to his childhood club Santos in January after a stint in Saudi Arabia and had a crucial impact in his team’s survival in the Brazilian top flight, scoring five goals in the last four matches.
“I came for this, to try to help the best way I can. These have been tough weeks for me,” Neymar, who played in only 20 of their 38 league games, told reporters.
“I thank those who were with me to lift me up. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have played these matches because of these injuries, this knee problem. I need to rest and then we will have this knee surgery.”
He did not provide details on the surgery or a timeline on his expected recovery.
Neymar has not featured for Brazil in two years due to a succession of injuries.
In October, national team head coach Carlo Ancelotti said the forward must regain full fitness if he is to earn a recall to the squad for the June 11 to July 19 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the US.
