PREMIER LEAGUE
GABRIEL Martinelli hit the only goal of the game as Premier League leaders Arsenal secured a narrow victory at Leicester.
The Gunners were the better side at the King Power Stadium but left with a hard-fought 1-0 win courtesy of Martinelli’s effort early in the second half.
The game lacked much of the drama witnessed in Arsenal’s lastgasp victory at Aston Villa a week ago but it does ensure Mikel Arteta’s side remain top of the table heading into their home clash with struggling Everton on Wednesday night.
In-form Ollie Watkins scored for the fifth successive match in a 2-0 victory over Everton which ended new manager Sean Dyche’s 100% home record and dropped the club back into the Premier League relegation zone.
The 27-year-old’s 63rd-minute penalty saw him become the club’s first player to achieve the feat in the top flight since Paul Rideout in January 1985. Substitute Emi Buendia made the game safe eight minutes from time to halt Villa’s three-match losing run.
In a game of two goalline clearances by Villa’s Tyrone Mings and Everton’s James Tarkowski, the first goal was always going to be decisive and while it was one of Watkins’ quieter games Dyche must have looked on enviously.
Junior Firpo struck a secondhalf winner as Leeds beat Premier League relegation rivals Southampton 1-0 to climb out of the bottom three.
Left-back Firpo’s first top-flight goal halted Leeds’ 10-game winless league run and ensured a winning start for new boss Javi Gracia in his first game in charge.
Leeds appointed former Watford manager Gracia on Tuesday after last week’s defeat at Everton left them in the relegation zone and his side responded with their first league win since November.
Saints’ stubborn defence was finally breached in the 77th minute. Harrison’s clever backheel set Firpo free in the area and the leftback scored his first Premier League goal by squeezing a low shot under Gavin Bazunu.
Danny Ings scored twice on his first start for West Ham as they climbed out of the relegation zone with a thumping 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
The 30-year-old striker appeared to be a distinctly panicky signing for the struggling Hammers when he joined from Aston Villa for £12million last month,
But Ings found the net twice in two second-half minutes to lift both his new side out of the bottom three and the mood at the London Stadium.
All the goals came in the final 20 minutes after a cagey first 70 between two goal-shy sides.
The Hammers took the lead when Jarrod Bowen drilled the ball low across goal where it was expertly guided in by Ings and in the blink of an eye Ings had his second, another poacher’s strike from Benrahma’s cross into the sixyard area.
Declan Rice added a fine third and substitute Michail Antonio rounded off a much-needed win for boss David Moyes.