Gunners locked and loaded again
Arsenal rekindle European hopes with 3-1 win at Leicester, Blues held
Arsenal revived their hopes of playing in European competition next season after goals from David Luiz, Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe helped them to a 3-1 win at Leicester City in an entertaining Premier League clash yesterday.
The result lifted Arsenal two places up to ninth on 37 points from 26 games while Leicester stayed third on 49 points after suffering a second setback in three days following their Europa League elimination.
Lacazette said two successive wins would boost Arsenal’s confidence in their bid to climb higher up the standings.
“We want to go as high as possible in the league and the reaction today after the goal we conceded was really good,” the French said.
Leicester took a sixthminute lead at King Power stadium as Youri Tielemans robbed two Arsenal players of the ball on the right flank and cut inside the area before he fired a low shot into the far corner.
The Gunners equalised in the 39th when Luiz headed a Willian cross into the bottomright corner and Lacazette turned the tide in first-half stoppage time as he drilled in a penalty after a VAR check showed Wilfred Ndidi had handled the ball in the area.
Poor defending cost Leicester again in the 52nd minute as they allowed the visitors to break through the middle before Willian slipped the ball to Pepe and the Ivorian forward tucked it into an empty net from two metres.
Meanwhile, Chelsea missed a chance to regain their place in the Premier League’s top four as they dominated Manchester United but had to be content with a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge yesterday.
The home side carved out the best chances but United, who had a decent first-half penalty appeal turned down, defended solidly throughout to earn a point.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel remains unbeaten in nine games since taking over from sacked Frank Lampard, but a second successive Premier League draw left him frustrated.
His side remain in fifth spot with 44 points from 26 games, one point behind West Ham United, while Manchester United are second with 50 points from 26 games, 12 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City.
Fulham lacked the cutting edge in front of goal in their 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace yesterday and settled for a point at Selhurst Park in their quest to climb out of the Premier League’s relegation zone.
The result meant that Scott Parker’s 18th-placed side are unbeaten in five league matches and have 23 points from 26 games to sit three points behind Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion, but they were left to rue their missed opportunities.
Fulham dominated possession in the first half, but failed to create chances before springing to life after the restart.
Josh Maja produced a bullet header from substitute Ivan Cavaleiro’s cross in the 68th minute, but was denied by Vicente Guaita.
Midfielder Ruben LoftusCheek went close twice, while skipper Joachim Andersen also proved to be a threat up front, but Fulham ultimately were short of the firepower needed to hand Palace a defeat on manager Roy Hodgson’s 150th game in charge.