English Premier League
Arsenal 3 – 1 West Ham United
Arsenal 3 – 1 West Ham United. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says club great Arsene Wenger “picked the right moment” to go back to Emirates Stadium as he saw them underline their title credentials.
Arteta’s young team produced a second-half fightback to beat West Ham and move seven points clear at the top of the Premier League, which was resuming after the World Cup.
Wenger, who was the last Arsenal manager to win the title, made his first return since stepping down in 2018.
“His presence is something that has to be very, very attached to this football club so thanks [to him] for doing that because it means a lot for everybody at the club,” said Arteta.
“Hopefully he is willing to spend more time with us and be around us because he is such an influence.”
West Ham took the lead against the run of play when Jarrod Bowen was judged to have been clipped in the box by William Saliba, allowing Said Benrahma to smash a confident penalty down the middle.
There was a mood of frustration among the home fans until Bukayo Saka converted from close range after collecting Martin Odegaard’s mis-hit shot.
The equaliser gave added impetus to the Gunners and another home goal looked increasingly likely.
Five minutes later, it duly arrived. Gabriel Martinelli put the hosts ahead, catching out West Ham’s former Gunners keeper Lukasz Fabianski by tucking inside the near post from a tight angle when he seemed more likely to cross.
The points were sealed when Eddie Nketiah – starting in place of the injured Gabriel Jesus – spun sharply in the box before firing into the opposite bottom corner.
Arsenal extended their lead at the top over Newcastle, who moved second by beating Leicester earlier on Monday.
Reigning champions Manchester City – who go to Leeds United on Wednesday – are now eight points behind the Gunners.
West Ham are 16th and just a point above the relegation zone after their fourth league defeat in a row.
Arsenal fans are starting to believe Arteta’s side can genuinely maintain their push for the club’s first title since Wenger’s Invincibles in 2004.
And as Wenger watched and heard his name lovingly sang by the home crowd, Arteta’s young team added further encouragement to those dreaming of a long-awaited triumph.
“It is a really special day because Boxing Day is a beautiful day to play football and I thought the performance was at the level today that we deserve,” said Arteta.
“Hopefully he [Wenger] will like it.”
The match came on the third anniversary of Arteta’s first game as Arsenal manager, and significant progress has been made since then.
When the former Gunners midfielder took over, they were closer to the relegation zone than the top four.
Their current position – and mood around the club – is a measure of how they have come.
The Spaniard has built a new team in the past three years which bears little resemblance – in style and substance – to the one picked for his first game at Bournemouth in 2019.
Arteta will not be getting carried after this win over West Ham, especially with several significant fixtures – not least against Manchester City on 15 February – on the horizon.
But the Gunners sent a message with a clinical second-half performance and the omens are also in their favour.
The team who topped the Premier League table on Christmas Day have gone on to be champions in 10 of the past 13 seasons.
One of the key questions as the Premier League returned was how the Gunners would cope without key striker Jesus.
The Brazil international had knee surgery after being injured in Qatar and is expected to be out until late February, fuelling talk the Gunners might need to sign some cover.
But against West Ham, a first Premier League start of the season was handed to Nketiah – and the 23-year-old delivered.
After stretching the Hammers defence and creating space with his sharp movement, he capped an impressive all-round performance with a fierce finish and staked his claim to be Jesus’ replacement.
“Gabby will be a big miss but we all believe in Eddie,” Saka told Amazon Prime. “That’s all he needs, us to keep supporting him and we will keep encouraging him.
“Everyone in the team is chipping in [with goals] and everyone will be important.”
In contrast to the leaders, West Ham are struggling in front of goal.
They have been better than their league position suggests, according to their expected goals statistics, with converting chances being their main problem.
Few opportunities came against Arsenal, although the game might have panned out differently had Michail Antonio not been denied by Aaron Ramsdale shortly after the restart at 1-0.
Hammers manager David Moyes said before the match he has not been feeling pressure because of results, instead urging for perspective and togetherness across the club.
But a fourth straight league defeat leaves West Ham as one of the cluster of teams packed tightly together in the bottom half.
“I don’t think we’re in a relegation fight. Every team has a blip when it isn’t plain sailing and results don’t go your way,” said midfielder Declan Rice.
“It’s down to me as captain to keep everyone going and pushing. We still believe we are a top team. But we need to start showing that. It’s down to us.”
source – BBC Sport
Crystal Palace 0-0 Manchester United. Manchester United were left frustrated as they squandered several clear-cut chances in a 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace in the Premier League at Selhurst Park. Despite dominating possession and creating a number of opportunities, Erik ten Hag’s side couldn’t find the breakthrough they needed.
Coming off an emphatic 7-0 EFL Cup win over Barnsley earlier in the week, United started positively. Alejandro Garnacho, who was given the nod ahead of Marcus Rashford, nearly opened the scoring early on, but Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson tipped his effort around the post.
United continued to apply pressure, with defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez both denied by Henderson’s quick reflexes. Garnacho later hit the crossbar, with the rebound falling to Bruno Fernandes, who saw his follow-up effort clip the top of the bar.
Crystal Palace began to find their rhythm as the first half progressed, and Eberechi Eze tested United goalkeeper Andre Onana with a shot straight at him when left unmarked in the box.
The second half was a more even contest, though United continued to push for a winner. Fernandes curled a shot wide, while Garnacho forced another save from Henderson. At the other end, Eddie Nketiah had a chance, but Onana’s sharp save kept the game level.
Palace had the best opportunity of the second half when Eze, once again unmarked, missed the target from 12 yards out. United’s goalkeeper, Onana, also made a critical save from Nketiah’s close-range effort to preserve the clean sheet.
The draw leaves Manchester United in 11th place, while Crystal Palace remains winless in 16th. Erik ten Hag will likely view this result as two points dropped rather than one gained, especially given United’s dominance in possession, with 66.8% – their highest away possession since April 2023.
Despite controlling much of the game, Manchester United’s familiar weaknesses resurfaced. They generated several scoring chances but lacked the clinical edge to finish them. The Red Devils currently rank second in the Premier League for expected goals (xG) with 9.53 across their first five matches, but they’ve only managed to find the net five times. This underperformance in front of goal is only rivaled by Southampton, who sit in 18th place.
One bright spot for United was the return of Danish striker Rasmus Højlund. The 21-year-old came off the bench in the second half, making his first appearance of the season after recovering from injury. Højlund’s return gives Ten Hag more options up front alongside Joshua Zirkzee, who was well-contained by the Palace defense throughout the match.
Crystal Palace, under manager Oliver Glasner, had a difficult start to the match, with United dominating the opening 30 minutes. Palace struggled to get out of their half and were reliant on Henderson’s goalkeeping heroics to keep the score level.
As the game progressed, Palace grew in confidence and created some decent chances, particularly through Eze. However, the Eagles will likely be disappointed not to have capitalized on their best opportunities, especially Eze’s two unmarked chances in both halves.
The point continues a positive run for Palace, with three consecutive league draws and recent progress in the EFL Cup. They are still adapting to life without key players like Michael Olise, who joined Bayern Munich, and Joachim Andersen, who moved to Fulham. However, with a solid defensive foundation and improvement in the attack, Palace will be hopeful of securing their first league win soon.
source – BBC
Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Brentford. Dominic Solanke scored his first goal for Tottenham as they came from behind to secure a 3-1 victory over Brentford in an exciting clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The win was a much-needed boost for Spurs after back-to-back Premier League defeats.
Brentford made a lightning start, going ahead just 23 seconds into the match when Bryan Mbeumo volleyed home from Keane Lewis-Potter’s cross. However, Spurs quickly responded, leveling the score just eight minutes later when Ethan Pinnock’s poor pass was intercepted by James Maddison. Though Maddison’s initial shot was saved, Solanke calmly finished the rebound, marking his first goal for Spurs following his £65 million summer transfer from Bournemouth.
Tottenham’s pressure paid off again before the half-hour mark when another Brentford mistake led to Brennan Johnson scoring with a clinical finish past Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken. By that point, Spurs were in control, and they extended their lead late on when Maddison chipped in a delicate goal after a pass from Son Heung-min.
Brentford had opportunities to fight back, with Mbeumo nearly scoring again late in the first half after robbing Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario of the ball inside the six-yard box. However, Vicario made up for his error with a save, and Brentford struggled to regain momentum.
The second half saw Brentford try to push for an equalizer, but Spurs remained composed and solid at the back, even as Brentford pressed for a way back into the game. A controversial moment occurred when Vicario appeared to handle the ball outside the penalty area, but the referee waved off Brentford’s protests, and VAR did not intervene, deeming the incident not to have denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
Despite Brentford’s efforts, it was Tottenham who sealed the win through Maddison’s late goal, relieving the pressure after losses to Newcastle and Arsenal in recent weeks. The victory gave Spurs their second league win of the season and helped ease the anxiety that had been building among the home supporters.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank acknowledged his side’s struggles, saying, “We made too many mistakes in possession, and Tottenham punished us. We had our chances, but we need to be more careful with the ball in key moments.”
For the second consecutive week, Brentford lost after scoring in the opening minute, with the defeat leaving them with three losses from their last four games. Spurs, on the other hand, will take confidence from their spirited performance as they look to build on this win.
Solanke, speaking after the game, expressed his delight: “It’s always special to get your first goal, especially in front of the home fans. Hopefully, it’s the first of many.”
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou praised Solanke’s contribution, saying, “He’s been excellent for us in every game, and it’s great to see him get off the mark.”
With this win, Tottenham can now focus on climbing the Premier League table, while Brentford will need to address their defensive lapses if they hope to bounce back in their upcoming fixtures.
source – BBC
Southampton 1-1 Ipswich Town. Southampton manager Russell Martin expressed his frustration after Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy scored a dramatic injury-time equalizer, leaving the Saints without a win in their return to the Premier League. The match ended 1-1 at St Mary’s Stadium, as both sides continue their search for a first league victory this season.
Southampton, having lost their opening four top-flight games of the 2024-25 campaign, struck early thanks to 18-year-old Tyler Dibling. The young midfielder netted his first goal for the club just five minutes into the match after capitalizing on a defensive error by Ipswich’s Axel Tuanzebe. The Saints kept the pressure on, with 36-year-old Adam Lallana setting up Dibling, who coolly slotted the ball past Ipswich goalkeeper Arijanet Muric.
Cameron Archer, who had missed a penalty in Southampton’s previous 3-0 loss to Manchester United, almost doubled the lead but was denied by the post. Archer, a £15 million summer signing from Aston Villa, had another chance to score, but his effort was well saved by Muric.
The missed opportunities would come back to haunt Southampton, as Ipswich’s Morsy equalized in the 95th minute. His long-range strike, deflected off Joe Aribo, left Saints goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale with no chance, securing a dramatic point for the visitors.
After the game, an irritated Russell Martin shared his disappointment: “I’m really angry and frustrated that we didn’t see the game out. We allowed them too much space in the final moments, and that cost us. We made fundamental errors that we don’t make in training, and that has to be down to the anxiety of the situation. It was our best performance, but it wasn’t enough to get the win.”
Both teams remain winless in the Premier League this season, but Ipswich will be the happier side, as they continue to defy expectations in their first top-flight campaign since 2001-02. The draw is Ipswich’s third in five matches, moving them up to 16th place in the table. Southampton, meanwhile, picked up their first point of the season, moving from 19th to 18th.
Ipswich’s last Premier League victory came in April 2002 when they beat Middlesbrough 1-0. Town boss Kieran McKenna had hoped to target this game as an opportunity for another win, especially against a side that, like Ipswich, earned promotion from the Championship in 2023-24.
The game started in Southampton’s favor when Lallana, showing his experience, assisted Dibling’s opener with a deft pass. Dibling controlled the ball well, creating space to fire past two Ipswich defenders and find the back of the net, marking his first senior goal.
Southampton almost doubled their lead midway through the first half, but Archer’s attempt hit the post after rounding Muric. Ipswich fought back, with Southampton’s Ramsdale forced into a series of saves to maintain the lead, denying efforts from Dara O’Shea, Leif Davis, and Omari Hutchinson.
As the game neared its conclusion, Southampton looked set for their first Premier League victory since March 2023, when they beat Leicester City 1-0. However, Ipswich’s late push resulted in Morsy’s equalizer, with the captain’s deflected strike salvaging a point for his side.
Reflecting on the match, Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna praised his team’s resilience: “It was a fantastic way to finish the game. For the captain to step up and strike it well, in front of the away supporters, to get a point is a great thing for the group. Scoring late goals and never giving up has been a massive part of our success, and it’s good for this new group to experience that.”
McKenna added that Ipswich is “edging in the right direction” and emphasized the importance of continued improvement as the team adapts to Premier League competition.
With both sides yet to find a victory, the pressure will continue to build, especially for Southampton as they aim to break their winless streak in their Premier League return.
source – BBC