Sanchez strikes in nick of time to seal Arsenal win
PREMIER LEAGUE Gunners up to fourth after a hardfought victory at Burnley
BURNLEY: An injury-time penalty from Alexis Sanchez gave Arsenal a 1-0 win at Turf Moor in the Premier League on Sunday to send the Londoners up to fourth place.
It was a close affair throughout with Burnley showing exactly why they entered the game level on points with Arsene Wenger’s side but it ended in controversy.
Arsenal won both games against the Lancashire side last season with disputed late goals and were reminded of that recent history throughout the game by the home support.
Television replays showed that James Tarkowski pushed Aaron Ramsey in the back although the Welsh international’s dramatic fall angered the home support who booed off referee Lee Mason at the end.
“I can understand they are disappointed but from the outside it looks like a penalty,” said Wenger, who said Ramsey had told him it was a “very strong push”.
Arsenal, who were without German playmaker Mesut Ozil because of illness, arrived at the ground late after what Wenger called “traffic problems” and they were slow out of the blocks.
Burnley, on the back of three straight wins and without a home defeat since mid-august, started strongly and went close in the 15th minute when Iceland winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson struck the post after a flowing counter-attack.
Arsenal gradually clawed their way back into the game but they had trouble handling Gudmundsson’s speed and directness down the flanks.
Ramsey missed a good chance when, taking the ball first time from a low cross by Alexandre Lacazatte, he fired over the bar.
Nacho Monreal shot just wide of Nick Pope’s post as the Gunners ended the half strongly but there were few chances in a tight second period.
WILLIAN EARNS CHELSEA A DRAW
LIVERPOOL: A fortunate 85th-minute goal from Brazilian Willian earned Premier League champions Chelsea a 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Saturday after Mohamed Salah’s 15th goal of the season looked to have given the hosts the three points.
Just two minutes after coming on as a late substitute at Anfield, Willian whipped in an attempted cross from the right which floated over Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet and into the net.
Salah, who was outstanding for Liverpool, had put his team ahead in the 65th minute when Alex Oxlade-chamberlain poked the ball away from a hesitant Tiemoue Bakayoko and the Egyptian pounced to fire past Courtois.
The result leaves Chelsea in third place on 26 points, eight behind leaders Manchester City, while Liverpool are fifth on 23 points.
It had been an entertaining encounter on a chilly night on Merseyside and while the Londoners ended the happier with the result, a draw was a fair outcome.
“I thought on reflection in the second-half we deserved to equal the game up,” said Chelsea skipper Gary Cahill.