Man City falls behind
LONDON - Arsenal closed out 2022 with a 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday that gives them a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League after title rivals Manchester City and Newcastle United both dropped points.
Arsenal opened up a 3-0 lead through Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Eddie Nketiah but Brighton never gave up, pulling two goals back either side of a Gabriel Martinelli strike to set up a nervous finish for the Gunners, who held on to win.
The victory leaves Arsenal in pole position on 43 points from 16 games with champions City on 36, Newcastle on 34 from 17 and Manchester United on 32 from 16.
Earlier in the day City wasted their chance to increase the pressure on Arsenal, drawing 1-1 at home to struggling Everton despite Erling Haaland’s 21st league goal of the season giving them the lead.
Newcastle United also dropped home points as a 0-0 stalemate with Leeds United deprived Eddie Howe’s side of a seventh successive league win.
Marcus Rashford gave the perfect response to being left out for disciplinary reasons by scoring Manchester United’s winning goal in a 1-0 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers that lifted them into the Premier League’s top four on Saturday.
Without him United were struggling to break down a Wolves rearguard with his replacement Alejandro Garnacho wasting the visitors’ best chance to break the deadlock.
Southampton will end the year rock bottom after conceding late on to lose 2-1 at Fulham – their fifth successive defeat.
Crystal Palace hit back from a 3-0 home defeat by Fulham on Monday to beat Bournemouth 2-0 away thanks to goals by Jordan Ayew and Eberechi Eze.
Newcastle’s Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes wore a yellow shirt with the number 10 on the back during a minute’s applause for compatriot Pele who died on Thursday as the Premier League paid tribute to the iconic player.
But he was unable to inspire his side to a victory against a resolute Leeds side who hung on for a point.
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Maiden title
WUHAN Three Towns have been crowned Chinese Super League champions for the first time after Tianjin Tigers forfeited the teams’ final round meeting to hand Pedro Morilla’s side a 3-0 win and the title by default. Wuhan finished ahead of last year’s winners Shandong Taishan after they also had their game against Beijing Guoan cancelled with Hao Wei’s team given a 3-0 victory as China continues to struggle with a nationwide COVID-19 surge. The win keeps alive Wuhan’s hopes of a leagueand-cup double and they are due to take on Shandong in the quarter-finals of the Chinese FA Cup on January 4.
No retirement
SYDNEY - Rafa Nadal brushed off talk of retiring anytime soon after the 22-times Grand Slam champion was stunned by Cameron Norrie in the United Cup mixed team tournament on Saturday, saying he still enjoyed competing at the highest level. Nadal’s preparations for his Australian Open title defence got off to a shaky start as Norrie beat him 3-6 6-3 6-4 to seal his first victory over the 36-year-old Spaniard in their fifth career meeting.
Stars return
THE final might have been last month, but Samoa had one last stop to make on their extraordinary Rugby League World Cup journey – back home to the 685. After the island nation’s extraordinary run to November’s World Cup final made headlines around the globe, they were welcomed back to Apia as heroes when they arrived on Samoan soil earlier this week. Hundreds of fans crowded Faleolo International Airport to greet the team as they arrived on separate flights, with the celebrations and singing continuing long into the early hours of the morning.