WIGAN, England: Mikel Arteta scored from the penalty spot to enable Arsenal to complete a hat trick of Premier League victories for the first time this season with a 1-0 victory at Wigan on Saturday.
The Spanish midfielder netted on the hour after Theo Walcott was brought down by Jean Beausejour.
Beating relegation-threatened Wigan lifted Arsenal into the four Champions League qualification spots as the team recovers from its worst start to a season since Arsene Wenger took charge in 1996.
Wenger named the same team that beat Reading 5-2 on Monday, with Walcott again given a chance to impress up front.
Arsenal had the first chance of the game in the ninth minute when Arteta was allowed time and space to drive forward and play in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right but his shot was well saved at the near post by Ali Al Habsi.
The Oman goalkeeper was making his 100th appearance for Wigan and he was called on again to beat away a stinging shot from Lukas Podolski a short time later.
But Wigan was more than matching its opponents for neat passing moves. The frustration for the hosts was they could not turn possession into chances.
Wigan’s pace up front had the potential to trouble Arsenal, and Arouna Kone timed his run to perfection to collect Franco Di Santo’s through ball.
There was nothing defender Per Mertesacker could do but, but with only goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to beat, Kone dragged his shot wide.
Arsenal was getting increasingly frustrated throughout the first half at its failure to break down what has been a porous Wigan defense this season.
Oxlade-Chamberlain had been quiet in the first half but he began the second in fine fashion and his pull-back set up Walcott for a shot from 10 yards that Al Habsi blocked.
Walcott was the key player when Arsenal did break the deadlock after an hour, though, when the forward was adjudged to have been pushed by Beausejour in the penalty area.
With 20 minutes to go, Wigan twice tested Szczesny. Maynor Figueroa sent in a low skidding shot and Kone drew a block from the Arsenal goalkeeper, but it turned out to be a frustrating day for the hosts.
Arteta’s penalty gives Arsenal 1-0 win at Wigan
Arteta’s penalty gives Arsenal 1-0 win at Wigan
Formula E heads to Jeddah for double-header, Evans looking to build on Miami momentum
- The night races in Saudi Arabia come with the drivers’ standings tightly contested, with the top five separated by just seven points after three rounds
JEDDAH: The FIA Formula E World Championship continues this week with the first double-header of the 2025/26 season, as Rounds 4 and 5 take place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Feb. 13 and 14.
The night races in Saudi Arabia come with the drivers’ standings tightly contested, with the top five separated by just seven points after three rounds, while the highly anticipated Pit Boost feature also returns this weekend.
Pit Boost is a mandatory mid-race stop that provides cars with a 10 percent energy increase, adding a significant strategic element to selected races during double-header weekends.
Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans arrives in Jeddah fresh from victory in Miami and said the team is keen to build on its momentum.
“Getting the win in Miami was a huge boost, for me personally, of course, but for the whole team too. It was one of those races where everything just came together, and to take my 15th Formula E victory with Jaguar made it even more special,” he said.
“Now the attention shifts to Jeddah, which is a completely different challenge. We’ve shown we have the pace, and if we execute well across both races, there’s a big opportunity for us to really ride this momentum,” he added.
Porsche Formula E Team’s Nico Muller said the Jeddah E-Prix presents a unique challenge, particularly with the return of Pit Boost, which will be used in one of the two races.
“I’m excited for the Jeddah E-Prix, a night race is always special. It’s a cool track, it suits the GEN3 Evo (car) well,” he said.
“It’ll be the first Pit Boost race of the season, which will make things challenging, having two completely different races. It also makes preparation more intense because we’re preparing for two different scenarios.
“However, we have a strong base, the car and the team are performing well, and now it’s about optimizing our package for this track and the conditions. We have full focus on scoring points and chasing that victory,” he added.
The Jeddah E-Prix will once again be held under the lights, with cooler track and air temperatures expected to influence tire behavior and energy efficiency.
Off track, Formula E will also host the return of EVO Sessions, where global content creators will drive electric race cars at the circuit following the race weekend, with the event set to be streamed live on YouTube on Feb. 15.
The championship continues to promote sustainability and community engagement in Jeddah through initiatives focused on renewable energy use, waste reduction, education programs and inclusion, including support for young women in motorsport and local community partnerships.
