10-man Arsenal fight back for 2-2 draw
City rout Villa, Stoke stymie Chelsea revival
Alexis Sanchez ruined Tottenham’s bid to take over at the top of the Premier League as the Arsenal forward’s late equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for the 10-man Gunners, while Manchester City kept their slender title hopes alive with a 4-0 thrashing of Aston Villa yesterday.
Arsene Wenger’s side were in danger of being cast adrift in the Premier League title race when Tottenham led 2-1 in the second half at White Hart Lane.
With Francis Coquelin sent off after Aaron Ramsey’s opener, Arsenal surrendered the lead when Tottenham hit back through Toby Alderweireld and Harry Kane.
But Arsenal recovered to equalise through Sanchez with 14 minutes remaining.
At Eastlands, City swept aside bottom of the table Villa to end a run of three successive league defeats.
Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure broke the deadlock in the 48th minute and Sergio Aguero doubled the League Cup winners’ lead two minutes later.
Aguero struck again in the 60th minute and Raheem Sterling added the fourth six minutes later.
Chelsea warmed up for their crucial Champions League showdown against Paris Saint Germain with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Stoke at Stamford Bridge.
Burkina Faso forward Bertrand Traore bagged his fourth goal in his last five appearances in the 39th minute.
But Chelsea were pegged back five minutes from full-time when Stoke forward Mame Biram Diouf headed home.
Bournemouth piled more pressure on beleaguered Newcastle manager Steve McClaren with a 3-1 win over the crisis-torn Magpies at St James’ Park.
Newcastle fell behind in the 28th minute through Steven Taylor’s own goal, and Josh King increased Bournemouth’s lead in the 70th minute.
Although Ayoze Perez got one back in the 80th minute, Charlie Daniels added a third for the visitors deep into stoppage-time.
West Ham staged a superb fightback to remain in the hunt for a Champions League berth with a 3-2 win at 10-man Everton.
Romelu Lukaku extended his superb record against the Hammers with a 13th minute strike, but Everton were reduced to 10 men in the 34th minute when Kevin Mirallas was sent off.
Roberto Martinez’s side scored again through winger Aaron Lennon’s clinical 56th minute finish.
But, crucially, Lukaku saw a penalty saved by Adrian midway through the half and Michail Antonio reduced the deficit in the 78th minute.
Diafra Sakho equalised three minutes later and French midfielder Payet completed a remarkable victory in the 90th minute.
Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk dented Sunderland’s bid for survival as his last-gasp equaliser salvaged a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s
Saints defender Jose Fonte was sent off in the 79th minute for fouling Fabio Borini and Sunderland Jermain Defoe stabbed home six minutes later
But fourth bottom Sunderland were frustrated when van Dijk struck three minutes into stoppage-time.
Swansea climbed nine points clear of the relegation zone as Gylfi Sigurdsson’s 61st minute goal secured a vital 1-0 win over third bottom Norwich.