Arsenal, Chelsea win at home

PREMIER LEAGUE Gunners prevail for the first time in four games, Blues continue their triumphant run at home

LONDON: Arsenal returned to winning ways in unconvincing fashion as Mesut Ozil’s stunning volley gave them a 1-0 Premier League win over struggling Newcastle United.

The Gunners had failed to win in their last three league games but the visit of Newcastle will have been viewed as a welcome one.

Most will have expected the floodgates to open when Ozil opened the scoring in magnificent fashion after 23 minutes. But Arsenal struggled to put the game to bed as Newcastle produced the kind of battling performance t heir fans have wanted.

The Magpies began the game just a point above the bottom three and their lack of reward for a commendable showing will do little ease to relegation fears.

For the Gunners, the result sees them avoid a vital slip up in the fight for the top four, though few will be convinced by the manner in which they emerged triumphant.

CHELSEA EXTEND RUN

LONDON: Marcos Alonso’s stunning free-kick earned Chelsea a 1-0 victory against Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday, extending his team’s winning home league run to five straight games.

Although the scoreline suggests a tight match, the champions dominated throughout and could have won far more comfortably had Fraser Forster not performed as well in the visitors’ goal, while Eden Hazard had a strike ruled out for a marginal offside against substitute Cesc Fabregas.

The win moves Chelsea level on points with second-placed Manchester United, who travel to West Brom on Sunday, while Southampton - who dropped Virgil van Dijk - are winless in five Premier League matches.

Chelsea were on top throughout the first half at Stamford Bridge, with Forster making multiple saves and a Pedro effort deflecting onto the post.

The impressive Alonso broke the deadlock just before halftime, though, bending a delightful free-kick into the bottom-left corner from 25 yards out for his fourth goal of the season.

Charlie Austin had two chances to level the scores but could not find a way past Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, whose saves secured a fourth successive Premier League victory over Southampton for the Blues.