IT’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Xhaka loses head as Arsenal humbled at home again
This is not what Mikel Arteta had i n mind when he declared it was t i me t o get Pierre - Emerick Aubameyang back among the goals. There were 73 minutes on the clock and Arsenal were down to ten men when Aubameyang rose high at the near post and unwittingly glanced a swerving corner past his own goalkeeper.
he has not scored from open play since the opening day and here he was handing Burnley a lead as he attempted to help his defenders out.
in the stands, an Arsenal fan pulled his face covering over his eyes. Down below, Arteta wondered what else could go wrong.
his team squandered chances and Granit Xhaka l ost his head in midfield, sent off for violent conduct when he grabbed Ashley Westwood by the throat.
Mohamed Elneny received a yellow card for a similar offence shortly after.
Any Burnley grievances were soon forgotten as Westwood took the corner and Aubameyang diverted it past Bernd Leno.
sean Dyche’s t e a m, in desperate need of points, defended the lead, with Nick Pope brilliant in goal.
Ben Mee and James Tarkowski were just as good. Burnley repelled late pressure and Ar s e n a l lost their fourth successive home l eague game for the first time since 1959.
The trends make awful r eading f or Arteta (right). Approaching one year in charge, his team have coll ected six red cards.
having lost at home to Wolves for the first time since 1978 on their last outing, his side promptly lost at home to Burnley for the first time since 1974. Worse still, visiting teams have worked out the winning f ormula: defend in numbers, frustrate Arsenal and wai t for the disciplinary implosion. it might come f rom a l ost cool, as with Xhaka. Arsenal dominated the first half. There was a short flurry, early on, when Alex Lacazette miscued a volley and Mee blocked an effort from a t i ght angle by Aubameyang. And another extended spell of pressure with Rob hol d i n g heading over and Gabriel heading
wide, either side of a fine save by Pope to deny Lacazette, who appeared certain to sweep a low cross from Kieran Tierney into the net from close range. Pope saved with his legs.
Tierney caused Burnley as many problems as any of Arteta’s attacking stars in the first half, overlapping and combining with Bukayo Saka.
There was an exerted penalty appeal from the Scotland left-back, perhaps a sign of c r e e pi ng desperation when one of his crosses crashed into Robbie Brady. The ball struck Brady on an arm but it was tucked tightly against his body and the officials, quite rightly, played on.
Burnley took few risks and resisted expertly. Mee and Tarkowski were strong and aware in the heart of a back line protected by the graft of Westwood and Josh Brownhill.
All of which served to silence the home fans. There were 2,000 inside the Emirates for the first time in the League since lockdown rules were eased but they could barely raise a cheer at the interval. The resident DJ seemed to be experimenting with gallows humour playing a blast of Michael Jackson’s Bad.
In fact, Arsenal started the second half with renewed purpose. Pope made saves from Tierney, Aubameyang and Saka in quick succession.
Momentum was lost when Xhaka was sent off in the 58th minute. He reacted angrily to a midfield tangle, initiated by his own foul, and grabbed Westwood by the throat.
Referee Graham Scott showed him a yellow card but was advised by VAR David Coote to check the replay on his pitchside monitor and did not need long before deciding on the upgrade.
Burnley, encouraged, offered a little more adventure. They still required a slice of fortune for the winner but they defended their clean sheet until the final whistle.