Sanchez, Martial on mark to boost Arsenal and United
UNDER-FIRE GUNNERS NOTCH TIMELY WIN AHEAD OF BAYERN TIE
lexis Sanchez brought manager Arsene Wenger some breathing space with a brace of goals as Arsenal overcame Hull City 2-0 in the Premier League yesterday. The Chilean forward contentiously scored with his hand in the 34th minute and netted an injury time penalty to get Arsenal back to winning ways following successive defeats by Watford and leaders Chelsea.
They provisionally climbed to third place, nine points behind Chelsea, while Manchester United moved to within a point of the Champions League places by beating Watford 2-0.
Anthony Martial marked his return to the starting XI by scoring one goal and setting up another for Juan Mata as Jose Mourinho’s side leapfrogged Liverpool, who were to host second-place Tottenham Hotspur later yesterday.
Spurs sit above Arsenal on goal difference, with Manchester City a point back in fourth place ahead of their trip to Bournemouth on Monday.
United trail City by a point, having played a game more, with Liverpool two points further back in sixth.
Following his side’s win over Hull, Wenger dismissed a claim by former Arsenal striker Ian Wright that he had admitted his time at the Emirates Stadium was coming to an end.
Sanchez put Arsenal ahead in controversial fashion, the ball hitting his right hand and rebounding into the net after his close-range shot had come back off Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic.
The goal was allowed to stand by referee Mark Clattenburg and another handball, this time spotted by the officials, gifted Sanchez his second goal in stoppage time.
Sam Clucas was dismissed for blocking Lucas Perez’s goalbound header and Sanchez dispatched the spot-kick for 17th goal of the campaign.
Seventh-place Everton squandered a chance to close on the teams above them after being held to a 0-0 draw at sixth-bottom Middlesbrough.
Sunderland remain bottom of the table after Southampton’s new Italian striker Manolo Gabbiadini scored a slick brace in a 4-0 win at the Stadium of his Light. Second-bottom Crystal Palace were also beaten, Joe Allen scoring in the second half to give Stoke City a 1-0 win that saw Mark Hughes’s team climb to ninth.
Gareth McAuley was credited with an injury time equaliser for West Bromwich Albion in a 2-2 draw at West Ham United. Arsenal 2 Man United 2 Middlesbrough 0 Stoke 1 Sunderland 0 West Ham 2 Hull Watford Everton Crystal Palace Southampton West Brom 0 0 0 0 4 2