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LONDON (AP) — Arsenal couldn’t have requested for a a lot better finish to the 12 months.
The Gunners stretched their Premier League result in seven factors with a 4-2 win at Brighton on Saturday, having seen their two closest challengers — Manchester Metropolis and Newcastle — each drop factors earlier within the day.
Maybe it’s actually time to begin believing for a staff that hasn’t gained the league title for the reason that unbeaten “Invincibles” did so in 2004.
“In fact at first of the season in case you requested us if we wished this (place at New 12 months’s) we’d chew your hand off,” mentioned Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, who netted the primary objective in opposition to Brighton after little greater than a minute. “It’s a nice alternative we’ve, and it’s an incredible place we’ve put ourselves in.”
Martin Odegaard and Eddie Nketiah additionally scored to place Arsenal 3-0 up by the forty seventh and seemingly cruising to a simple win, however the guests nonetheless endured an unnecessarily nervy end as Brighton’s resistance solely ended when an 89th-minute objective that will have made it 4-3 was dominated out for offside after a VAR test.
That helped Mikel Arteta’s facet take full benefit of Metropolis’s slip-up earlier within the day, when one other objective from Erling Haaland wasn’t sufficient to forestall the defending champion from being held to a 1-1 home draw by Everton due to a surprising equalizer from Demarai Grey. Third-place Newcastle additionally noticed a six-game successful streak finish with a 0-0 draw against Leeds.
Manchester United climbed into the highest 4 for the primary time this season due to Marcus Rashford, who was dropped to the bench for disciplinary causes however got here on to safe a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton.
Rashford was dropped by Erik ten Hag after being late for a staff assembly when he overslept, however responded by coming off the bench after the halftime break to present a sluggish United facet the spark it wanted.
“I used to be slightly bit late for a gathering. I slept in, overslept, however it could actually occur,” Rashford mentioned. “I’m clearly upset to not play however I perceive the choice and I’m comfortable we managed to win the sport anyway. I feel we are able to draw a line underneath it and transfer on.”
Ten Hag additionally appeared prepared to maneuver on, having seen as soon as once more how vital Rashford is to his staff’s assault.
“Everybody has to match the requirements and guidelines. We now have to have penalties and it’s what I anticipate on the pitch. He gave the proper reply,” Ten Hag mentioned of Rashford. “I used to be not glad with the efficiency within the first half. We now have to be extra medical and we all know Rashy can rating the objectives and that’s what he did.”
Rashford netted his eleventh objective of the season after he collected the ball on the left earlier than chopping inside and swapping passes with Bruno Fernandes, then dribbled his well past two defenders to comb it previous goalkeeper Jose Sa.
Fulham climbed to seventh place with a 2-1 win over Southampton, whereas Crystal Palace earned a 2-0 victory at Bournemouth.
CITY HELD
Haaland appeared to have made the distinction for Metropolis as soon as once more when Riyad Mahrez slalomed his method by the world and pulled again for the Norway striker, who completed clinically on the flip for his twenty first league objective.
However Grey responded for Everton when he burst into the world, held the ball up — and almost slipped within the course of — earlier than curling a chic effort contained in the far submit simply after the hour.
“Dropping factors at house is all the time powerful however I’m all the time attempting to make our sport good and we’ve continued to do it,” Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola mentioned. “They made a implausible objective and when that occurs you say congratulations however basically we did very well.”
NEWCASTLE STREAK ENDS
Newcastle was on a run of six straight Premier League wins however couldn’t discover a well past Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Defender Fabian Schar had the very best possibilities however wasted three good alternatives as Leeds held agency to finish a two-game dropping streak.
“The need was there, the standard was there however the ending wasn’t there. We had plenty of alternatives that usually we take,” Newcastle supervisor Eddie Howe mentioned.
Nonetheless, he known as 2022 “a 12 months of actual progress” because the staff is preventing for a top-four end underneath its new Saudi possession.
“There are huge challenges forward however we sit up for these,” Howe mentioned.
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