The Nation Newspaper

Tag: arsenal

  • Arsenal held to frustrating draw by Forest             

    Arsenal held to frustrating draw by Forest             

    Arsenal missed a golden opportunity to take a decisive step towards winning their first Premier League title in 22 years after being held to a 0-0 draw at struggling Nottingham Forest.

    The Gunners enjoyed the perfect pre-match entertainment by watching rivals Manchester City lose their derby to United, which presented the chance to go nine points clear at the summit. But, nine days after drawing 0-0 with Liverpool after City had again slipped up, Mikel Arteta’s men could not take advantage after failing to get past Forest. They had chances as Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka both went close, but they drew a blank.

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    The draw did see Arsenal extend their lead to seven points, which could be cut to four on Sunday if Aston Villa beat Everton, and they remain clear favourites to get their hands on the Premier League trophy for the first time since 2004.

     But the missed opportunities could prompt some doubts in the Gunners camp as they have let leads at the top of the table slip in the past, notably when they were eight points clear of City in April 2023 only to fall short.

    Forest were dogged and resolute and deserved a point, which was a timely boost having seen West Ham’s win at Tottenham pull them back into relegation trouble.

  • EFL Cup semi-final: Arsenal beat Chelsea 3-2 to take first-leg advantage

    EFL Cup semi-final: Arsenal beat Chelsea 3-2 to take first-leg advantage

    Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez made errors that contributed to two of Arsenal’s three goals in a dramatic Carabao Cup semi-final first leg – but Alejandro Garnacho scored twice to keep Chelsea in the tie.

    Sanchez failed to claim Declan Rice’s corner, allowing Ben White to head in Arsenal’s seventh-minute opener from close range – and the goalkeeper let a cross squirm through his fingers shortly after half-time for Viktor Gyokeres to make it 2-0.

    Garnacho pulled one back 12 minutes into the second half, but Martin Zubimendi’s brilliant shimmy and finish restored Arsenal’s two-goal advantage.

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    The former Manchester United winger then volleyed in his second of the match after Kepa Arrizabalaga’s clearance dropped at his feet.

    Chelsea’s hopes of reaching Wembley to face either Newcastle or Manchester City remain alive, but they must overturn a one-goal deficit at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on 3 February.

    BBS SPORT

  • EPL: Declan Rice scores twice as Arsenal edge Bournemouth 3-2

    EPL: Declan Rice scores twice as Arsenal edge Bournemouth 3-2

    Declan Rice scored twice as Premier League leaders Arsenal came from behind to beat Bournemouth.

    Gunners centre-back Gabriel played a blind pass across his box to gift Evanilson the opening goal for the Cherries.

    But he made up for that with the equaliser as he lashed in a rebound after Gabriel Martinelli’s shot had been blocked.

    Bournemouth had chances to go ahead but Rice’s shot from the edge of the box, from Martin Odegaard’s lay-off, gave Arsenal the lead.

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    The England midfielder, back from a knee injury, netted again following a cutback by substitute Bukayo Saka.

    Teenager Eli Junior Kroupi gave Bournemouth renewed hope with a fine strike from outside the area – but they could not find a leveller.

    Antoine Semenyo, playing perhaps his final game for Bournemouth before a £65m move to Manchester City, was quiet throughout.

    The victory takes Mikel Arteta’s team six points clear of second-placed Aston Villa, although Manchester City can close the gap back to four points when they host managerless Chelsea on Sunday (17:30 GMT).

    BBC

  • Arsenal 4-1 Aston Villa: Gunners thump title rivals to end year five points clear at top of Premier League

    Arsenal 4-1 Aston Villa: Gunners thump title rivals to end year five points clear at top of Premier League

    Arsenal scored four goals in the second half as they thumped Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium to end the year five points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

    Centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, making his first start since recovering from injury in November, bundled the ball in from a trademark corner in the 48th minute to give Arsenal the lead, and despite appeals from the Villa players for a foul on their goalkeeper Emi Martinez, the goal stood.

    The Gunners then doubled their lead when captain Martin Odegaard won the ball back in midfield before playing an excellent pass to Martin Zubimendi who poked the ball past Martinez.

    Leandro Trossard added a third when he slammed a shot low into the net from the edge of the area, after a lengthy check for offside by the video assistant referee (VAR).

    And substitute Gabriel Jesus ensured it was a memorable night for the Gunners when he curled in from the edge of the area before Ollie Watkins tapped in from close range in stoppage time to give Aston Villa a consolation goal.

    Villa came into this game on an 11-match winning streak which included a 2-1 victory over the Gunners 24 days ago, but despite starting the game well and going close through Ollie Watkins could not find a way to go ahead.

    Unai Emery’s side, who were without Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara through suspension, came with a clear gameplan to slow the tempo of the match down and tried to frustrate Arsenal, but could not deny Mikel Arteta’s side an impressive win.

    The victory ends an excellent year for the Gunners who have lost just twice in the league this season, and move five points clear before second-placed Manchester City’s match at Sunderland on New Year’s Day (20:00 GMT).

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    Arsenal’s thrashing of Aston Villa means the Gunners end the year five points clear of their rivals, with their supporters hoping this will be the season they end their 22-year wait for a Premier League title.

    Aston Villa arrived at the Emirates with the chance of drawing level on points with the Gunners if they were able to beat Arteta’s side, but the hosts showed why they are many people’s favourites to win the league.

    Throughout December Arsenal have not been at their best, but as is the mark of potential champions, they have found a way to win.

    Injuries to key players have meant that Arteta has had to be creative at times with his selections – in this match he was without Declan Rice who was ruled out with a knock.

    However, he could call on arguably Arsenal’s most important player in Gabriel, whose presence in defence brings calmness to the Gunners’ backline and his threat from set-pieces is a crucial weapon.

    Gabriel was starting with William Saliba at centre-back in the Premier League for the first time since 8 November, and Arsenal have won all five league matches this season when both have played the full game.

    Arsenal have finished second for three successive seasons, but with the experience they have from those title challenges and players returning from injury, 2026 could be a memorable year in north London.

    BBC

  • EPL: Arsenal regain top spot with win over Brighton

    EPL: Arsenal regain top spot with win over Brighton

    Martin Odegaard scored his first Premier League goal of the season as Arsenal survived a nervy finale to beat Brighton and return to the top of the table.

    The Gunners, who had dropped to second place after Manchester City beat Nottingham Forest in Saturday’s early match, took the lead when Bart Verbruggen’s goal-kick was intercepted and Bukayo Saka teed up captain Odegaard to score from the edge of the area.

    Arsenal’s one-goal half-time lead did not match their first-half dominance as they produced 15 shots, five on target, and restricted Brighton to none.

    But they doubled their lead seven minutes into the second half when makeshift right-back Declan Rice’s corner was flicked into his own net by Georginio Rutter, the fourth own goal that has gone Arsenal’s way in their past four games.

    Arsenal seemed set for a comfortable victory but Brighton pulled one back with their first shot on target when Yasin Ayari’s effort bounced off the post and Diego Gomez hammered in the rebound. 

    Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler had introduced winger Yankuba Minteh at half-time and his pace caused problems.

    Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya had to produce a magnificent save to ensure his side took all three points when he kept out Minteh’s curled effort that was heading towards the top corner.

  • EPL: Man City win to move two points of Arsenal

    EPL: Man City win to move two points of Arsenal

    Manchester City blew the Premier League title race wide open by capitalising on leaders Arsenal’s defeat in comfortably dispatching Sunderland at Etihad Stadium.

    Pep Guardiola’s side had seen the Gunners suffer a last-gasp loss against Aston Villa at lunchtime on Saturday and ensured there was no slip-up of their own by swatting aside the visitors to move to within two points of the top.

    City initially found it difficult to make inroads against the Sunderland’s low block and were frustrated by a solid five-man backline.

    Having kept the hosts at bay, the visitors saw the game snatched away in the space of four first-half minutes, courtesy of goals from City’s two centre-halves.

    The Black Cats defenders sat back on Ruben Dias and it proved fatal as the Portugal international strode forward and unleashed a thunderous 30-yard strike, which took a deflection off Dan Ballard and swerved into the top corner.

    The hosts doubled their advantage on 35 minutes when Josko Gvardiol leapt highest to power home an unstoppable header from Phil Foden’s inswinging corner and give the hosts a comfortable half-time cushion.

    City sought to add to the scoreline in the second half and Jeremy Doku’s low curling effort struck the post, while Foden’s first-time follow-up was brilliantly blocked.

    Erling Haaland’s hooked shot was cleared off the line by Lutsharel Geertruida, before Rayan Cherki provided a sublime assist for Foden to head in the third goal.

    Chances were at a premium for Sunderland in the opening period, with Enzo le Fee shooting into side-netting, but they did have better opportunities in the second half.

    City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made a big save to deny Wilson Isidor after Dias’ mistake, while captain Granit Xhaka’s thumping low effort beat the Italy international but cannoned against the post.

    Sunderland saw Luke O’Nien sent off in injury-time for a nasty, studs-high challenge on Matheus Nunes, with the yellow card upgraded to a red after referee Andy Madley reviewed the challenge on the pitchside monitor.

    BBC

  • EPL: Buendia scores in last minute as Villa beat Arsenal

    EPL: Buendia scores in last minute as Villa beat Arsenal

    Emi Buendia scored with the last kick of the game as Aston Villa stunned Arsenal to move three points behind the Premier League leaders.

    Leandro Trossard’s sixth goal of the season looked to have earned a point for Arsenal after he cancelled out Matty Cash’s opener.

    But Buendia struck in the 95th minute as Unai Emery’s side moved into second in the table.

    Arsenal, who blew Bayern Munich and Tottenham away last month, suffered their first defeat in the league since losing 1-0 at Liverpool in August.

    Villa Park erupted after substitute Buendia scored to give Villa their seventh straight game in all competitions.

    Eberechi Eze had a goal disallowed for offside before the hosts took a first-half lead when Arsenal – especially Eze – switched off to allow Cash to drill in at the far post.

    Arsenal emerged re-energised after the break when Mikel Arteta introduced Viktor Gyokeres and Trossard, who levelled with his 50th Premier League goal, having already gone close.

    Emi Martinez brilliantly tipped Martin Odegaard’s shot over as Arsenal looked for a winner, but Buendia stole the points in dramatic style, curling in after Arsenal failed to clear.

    BBC

  • In-form Villa host leaders Arsenal live on SuperSport

    In-form Villa host leaders Arsenal live on SuperSport

    Premier League leaders, Arsenal, will face another big examination this weekend when they confront Unai Emery’s in-form Aston Villa at Villa Park. The game, which will kick off at 1.30 PM today, and other weekend fixtures will be broadcast live on SS Premier League (DStv Ch. 203, GOtv Ch. 65).

    Villa have surged into third after four straight wins, including a thrilling 4–3 victory over Brighton. Arsenal remain five points clear at the top after a composed 2–0 win over Brentford, and both sides enter as the division’s most in-form teams.

    At 4:00 p.m., Man City host Sunderland at the Etihad. City edged Fulham 5–4 in a frenetic contest and sit second, one point clear of Chelsea after their midweek slip. Sunderland, with only one win in their last five, will need a flawless performance to halt City’s pursuit of Arsenal.

    Kicking off at the same time is the clash between Tottenham and  Brentford. Spurs, who play at home, are in a slump and remain winless in their last six. They currently sit 11th on the table. Brentford, beaten 2–0 by Arsenal, remain inconsistent but have been stronger at home and will aim to arrest their decline. The game is live on  SS Football (GOtv Ch. 61, DStv Ch. 205)

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    Leeds United face Liverpool at 6:30 p.m. after a morale-boosting win over Chelsea ended their four-match losing streak. Liverpool, held to a 1–1 draw by Sunderland, are struggling for fluency and need a stabilising result after a run of poor form.

    Tomorrow  at 5:30 p.m., Fulham meet Crystal Palace. Fulham showed real fight in their 5–4 loss to Man City, clawing back from 5–1 down after winning their previous two matches. Palace, sitting fifth, have taken three wins from their last six and remain difficult to break down.

    The round concludes on Monday at 9:00 p.m. as Wolves host Man United. United have taken just one win from their last five, following a 1–1 draw against West Ham. Wolves, bottom of the league with twelve defeats in fourteen matches, are desperate for any sign of recovery. All matches across the weekend will be live on SuperSport Premier League on DStv and Gotv.

  • EPL: 10-Man Chelsea hold Arsenal to 1-1 draw in fierce London Derby

    EPL: 10-Man Chelsea hold Arsenal to 1-1 draw in fierce London Derby

    Ten-man Chelsea held Arsenal to an entertaining 1–1 draw in Sunday’s Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge.

    Chelsea began brightly but were dealt a major setback in the 38th minute when midfielder Moisés Caicedo was shown a red card for a reckless challenge on Mikel Merino.

    Despite the disadvantage, the hosts took the lead just two minutes into the second half as Trevoh Chalobah rose to power in a superb header, sparking celebrations around the Bridge.

    Arsenal responded quickly, restoring parity 11 minutes later through Merino, who guided a precise header beyond the Chelsea goalkeeper.

    Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino, speaking to Sky Sports, “On one hand, disappointed because we didn’t win. When you wear this shirt, you want to win every game. 

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    “This is a really tough stadium to come and take a point. We could have done things better but the team showed good mentality.

    “Maybe managing the game better and understanding what they were trying to do. With 10 men, we could have had more patience with the ball. Trying to find the wings and cross with players in the box. Obviously, they are a good side.

    On the red card challenge from Moises Caicedo, he said, “I felt my ankle go all the way but luckily I have very mobile ankles and body. I knew it was a horrible challenge and it was going to be a red card.

    A win for the Gunners would have seen them head into the midweek fixtures with a seven-point lead at the top of the table.

  • CRANKING LONDON DERBY

    CRANKING LONDON DERBY

    • Arteta seeks another statement win at Stamford Bridge

    A six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table and a dominant midweek win over Bayern Munich are no cause for relief for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who anticipates a big challenge when they visit second-placed Chelsea tomorrow.

    Chelsea are on a three-match winning streak and thrashed Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.

    But Arsenal, who beat local rivals Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, are determined to maintain their relentless pace as they chase their first Premier League title since 2004, Arteta told reporters on Friday.

    “After beating Spurs, we had to make a statement against Bayern Munich, we did that. Now we have to go to the next one,” the manager said. “It’s a big game, a big London derby. We’re going to play a really good opponent, they are in really good form. We know the challenge and the opportunity we have. We are fully ready for it.”

    Arteta said Chelsea, who have staged a strong comeback in the league after losses to Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion in September, deserve to be in the title race.

    “The squad they have assembled, the numbers they have, the amount of quality, the manager and the coaching staff they have, it makes sense what has happened which is very positive. They deserve to be there,” the Spaniard added.

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    Arsenal, who had to settle for draws on their last two trips to Stamford Bridge, are hoping Leandro Trossard will be fit tomorrow  after the Belgian attacker picked up a knock against Bayern, Arteta said.

    “With Leo, there is another test today. We have to see how he is feeling. It doesn’t look much. We still have a few hours and we have to wait and see. There is a potential chance,” he added.

    Arteta stressed the need for his players, who are unbeaten in all competitions since August, to maintain their levels of consistency.

    “Not that they surprised me but you have to be able to perform in the manner they did individually throughout long periods of the game against our opponents. That’s very difficult to do,” he added.