Sturdy Gunners win the Turf war
ODEGAARD’S SPECIAL GIVES BURNLEY BOOT
MIKEL ARTETA praised his young Gunners’ resilience against Burnley as they made it backto-back wins.
In a match marred by crowd trouble between both sets of fans after the final whistle, Martin Odegaard produced the game’s one moment of brilliance when he whipped home a freekick to continue Arsenal’s recovery from their dreadful start.
However it was unfortunate for Arteta that the ugly scenes after full-time, as rival sets of fans clashed in the
Cricket Field
Stand before being dispersed by the
stewards, will distract from a vital three points after the Gunners’ poor start to the campaign.
Arteta was proud of the way his side stood up to Burnley’s physical threat to
stretch their unbeaten league record at Turf Moor to 48 years.
“It builds confidence, trust and belief that you can go through difficult moments of games and still win,” he said.
“It was a hardfought victory
at a really tough place. You have to be ready for a fight here.
“We have players who are not at their strength playing in this type of game, but they did their best and we got the win. I’m very proud of them defensively.”
Burnley felt they were wrongly denied a penalty when referee Anthony Taylor reversed his decision to award a spot-kick for Aaron Ramsdale’s challenge on Matej Vydra.
It was similar to the penalty Leeds’ Patrick Bamford won against Nick Pope at Elland Road in December and boss Sean Dyche was bemused by Taylor’s decision.
“Unfortunately that one went against us last year and this one doesn’t go for us, which is not a major surprise with our penalty record,” he “I must say the goalkeeper does get a touch on it, no question, and I have seen it back after the game.
“You’ve got to question why is that a clear and obvious error if the referee has to go to the VAR screen.”
Arsenal were workmanlike rather than wonderful and a better test of their renaissance will come in next Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham at the Emirates.
Burnley pushed them hard, but the bottom line is this loss extends their club-record winless league run to 13 games and they remain stuck on one point.
Having spent £145million in the summer, Arteta feels he is finally moulding Arsenal in his image and he started 4-3-3 for the first time in the Premier League in a sign of how he wants to play.
Granit Xhaka’s suspension helped and Odegaard and Emile Rowe-smith provided dynamism and industry either side of Thomas Partey in the midfield three.
Burnley were direct as expected and Ashley Barnes shot over from Pope’s deep freekick before he and James Tarkowski missed with headers.
The Clarets were physical and Arsenal made them pay on 30 minutes when Ashley Westwood fouled Bukayo Saka to give away a free-kick just under 25 yards out.
Odegaard whipped his leftsaid.
footed effort over the wall and past Pope’s dive to register his first Gunners goal since joining for £30m in the summer.
Arsenal defended resolutely and Gabriel made a goal-saving tackle on Barnes as he prepared to pull the trigger in the box.
They showed some craft as well as graft and Smith-rowe shot just over from 12 yards at the climax of a patient passing move before they lost their way in the second half.
Dyche changed tack when he replaced Barnes with the mobile Vydra and brought on Maxwel Cornet for his debut.
The Ivorian, who cost £12.8m from Lyon, almost made an immediate impact and he had a right-foot shot saved by Ramsdale.
Then came the big moment of controversy on 68 minutes. Vydra pounced on Ben White’s underhit backpass and Taylor awarded a penalty for Ramsdale’s challenge – only to change his mind after viewing the incident on the pitchside monitor to Burnley’s bewilderment.