Arsenal beat Tottenham to go eight points clear

Eight points clear in the Premier League, playing the most free‐ flowing soccer in England, and now humbling its fiercest rivals in front of their own fans.

For Arsenal, this season can hardly get any better.

A 2‐0 win over Tottenham on Sunday left no doubt over who the dominant force is in north London.

And it's becoming increasingly hard to dispute that Arsenal is the best team in the country, having claimed 47 points from a possible 54 and surged into the best posi‐ tion the club has been in all season in its bid for a first league title since the unbeaten "Invincibles" of 2003‐2004.

Arsenal had an eight‐point lead for a couple of days at the start of the month but second‐place Man‐ chester City had a game in hand then. Now they've both played the same number of matches — 18 of a possible 38 — and City is strug‐ gling to keep pace with the lead‐ ers.

The first‐half display of Mikel Arteta's team was irrepressible, with Bukayo Saka running amok down the right and playing a part in both of the goals.

It was a deflected cross from the England winger that was bundled into his own net by Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris at the near post in the 14th minute. Then Saka led a break forward in the 36th and slipped a ball inside to captain Martin Odegaard, who lashed home a low shot from 25 meters.

British bookmakers are now making Arsenal odds‐on favorites for the title, which brings its own pressure heading into the second half of the season.

City is likely to improve and has previously gone on long, unbeaten runs down the stretch. Third‐place Newcastle, which beat Fulham 1‐0 on Sunday, and fourth‐place Man‐ chester United, whose derby win over City on Saturday extended its winning run to nine games, are both nine points off Arsenal.

So the candidates are lined up behind Arsenal. It just needs the leaders to falter.

There is no sign of that just yet. "We have to stay humble," Ode‐ gaard said. "We know we can im‐ prove."

FAN ATTACK

A spectator climbed onto an ad‐ vertising board and appeared to kick Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale after the game.

The incident took place as Rams‐ dale retrieved his water bottle from behind one of the goals.

The spectator leaped over the railing, mounted the hoarding and aimed a kick at Ramsdale's back before getting back into the crowd in the South Stand. Ramsdale did‐ n't seem hurt and was dragged away from the area by teammates before celebrating in front of Arse‐ nal's supporters at the other end of the stadium.

"It's a shame because it's only a game of football at the end of the day," Ramsdale said.

MITROVIC WOE

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic was looking to make an impression at St. James' Park against Newcastle, where he spent 2 1/2 years and had to leave to make a name for himself in English soccer.

It ended up being a game to for‐ get.

Not only did Mitrovic end up on the losing team, he had a goal ruled out for a double touch when attempting a penalty kick. Mitro‐ vic slipped as he struck his penalty, kicking the ball against his stand‐ ing foot and into the net.

The Serbia international wheeled away in celebration but the referee gave a foul and a free kick.

Alexander Isak's 89th‐minute goal, converted from close range from Callum Wilson's poked cross, added to Mitrovic's woe.

Joelinton played the whole game for Newcastle three days after his midweek arrest for alleged drunk‐ driving. Another of the team's

Brazilian midfielders, Bruno Guimaraes, walked off in tears after the halftime whistle having played with an ankle injury for some of the first half.

He didn't play the second half and left the stadium on crutches and wearing a protective boot.

RELIEF FOR POTTER

Graham Potter hasn't had this good a day for some time at Chelsea.

Firstly, his club announced the signing of one of Europe's most sought‐after young players in Ukraine winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who was paraded on the field at halftime at Stamford Bridge.

Then Chelsea held on to beat Crystal Palace 1‐0 and win in the league for just the second time since October, with Hakim Ziyech crossing for Kai Havertz to head home in the 64th minute.

Chelsea stayed in 10th place but trimmed the gap to fifth‐place Tot‐ tenham to five points.

There was a clean sheet for an‐ other January signing, France de‐ fender Benoît Badiashile, on his first start for Chelsea and a string of impressive saves from Kepa Ar‐ rizabalaga, who has been at fault for crucial goals in recent weeks.

"You have to understand the context of the situation we are in," Potter said, "so it isn't going to be sensational football all the time."

With Mudryk signed up in a deal worth $108 million, the under‐ pressure Potter is hoping for bet‐ ter times ahead.

"He is very fast and direct," Pot‐ ter said, "and I think the crowd will like him."

ATALANTA SCORE EIGHT

Lazio and Atalanta boosted their hopes of qualifying for the Cham‐ pions League with comfortable wins over teams struggling at the other end of the Serie A table on Sunday.

Lazio eased to a 2‐0 win over Sassuolo for its first victory of the new year, and Atalanta destroyed Salernitana 8‐2.

Both teams moved to within three points of Inter Milan and Ju‐ ventus and the final Champions League qualifying spots. Roma can join them with a win over Fiorentina later Sunday.

Lazio had started the year poorly, losing at Lecce and then conceding two goals late on to draw 2‐2 against Empoli last weekend.

It lost key forward and captain Ciro Immobile in the 15th minute when he limped off with a muscu‐ lar problem.

Lazio struggled to carve out goalscoring chances but was handed the opportunity to break the deadlock right at the end of the first half when Sassuolo defender Jeremy Toljan blocked Sergej Milinković‐Savić's header with an outstretched arm.

Mattia Zaccagni struck the re‐ sulting penalty into the bottom left corner.

Lazio had chances to double its lead but didn't manage to until stoppage time when Milinković‐ Savić nodded on a long goal kick and Anderson caught Sassuolo de‐ fender Ruan Tressoldi napping to rush into the area and round goal‐ keeper Gianluca Pegolo before de‐ positing into an empty net.

It was Sassuolo's sixth defeat in its past seven matches and left it seven points above the relegation zone.

STUNNING GOAL

Jérémie Boga's stunning goal set Atalanta on the way to a lopsided victory.

Boga cut inside from the left and beat three players before manag‐ ing to get a shot away that was de‐ flected in off Salernitana defender Domagoj Bradarić to give the hosts a fifth‐minute lead.

Boulaye Dia leveled just five min‐ utes later but the floodgates then opened and Atalanta was 5‐1 up by halftime with Ademola Look‐ man's penalty and goals from teenagers Giorgio Scalvini and Rasmus Højlund. Teun Koopmein‐ ers also scored before the break, tucking away the rebound after his initial penalty had been saved by Guillermo Ochoa.

Both penalties were awarded for fouls by Federico Fazio on Højlund.

Lookman doubled his tally early in the second half, while Éderson and Nadir Zortea were also on the scoresheet against their former team. Hans Nicolussi Caviglia net‐ ted for Salernitana.

NZOLA'S PENALTY

M'Bala Nzola's first‐half penalty was enough to give Spezia a 1‐0 win at Torino to go nine points clear of the drop zone.

Bologna fought back to win 2‐1 at Udinese.