Soccer

Arsenal maintain Premier League title charge with demolition of Newcastle

Premier League round-up: Iwobi scores stoppage-time winner for Fulham at Old Trafford; Foden goal helps Man City close gap on Liverpool to a point

Jakub Kiwior scores Arsenal's fourth goal during the Premier League match against Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images
Jakub Kiwior scores Arsenal's fourth goal during the Premier League match against Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images
Sat Feb 24 2024 - 22:24
Arsenal 4 Newcastle United 1

Arsenal doled out another devastating Premier League defeat as they cruised past Newcastle to move two points off the top of the table.

Having thrashed West Ham and Burnley away from home, the Gunners returned to the Emirates Stadium where they easily dispatched of Eddie Howe’s side, winning 4-1 in Saturday’s late kick-off.

A Sven Botman own goal set them on their way before goals from Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Jakub Kiwior rounded off another fine display from Mikel Arteta’s men, although the returning Joe Willock’s late header ruined another clean sheet.

The win, coming on the back of a galling late loss in their Champions League last-16 clash with Porto on Wednesday, moves them to within two points of leaders Liverpool and just a point shy of Manchester City in second place.

READ MORE

Their recent run of free-scoring performances, winning their last three games at an aggregate of 15-1, also means Arsenal boast the best goal difference in the division.

[ Premier League table ]

Manchester United 1 Fulham 2

Alex Iwobi struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Fulham snatched a rare 2-1 win at Manchester United.

The former Everton and Arsenal midfielder finished off a counterattack in the seventh minute of time added on moments after Harry Maguire looked to have salvaged a point for United.

Maguire had pounced on a rebound in the 89th minute, cancelling out a 65th-minute strike from Fulham’s Calvin Bassey.

United looked to be finishing the stronger as they pushed for a late winner but they were caught out by Iwobi, who secured his side’s first victory at Old Trafford since 2003.

On the balance of play, it was a win Fulham deserved and a result that punctured some of the optimism brought into United this week following the completion of Jim Ratcliffe’s partial takeover.

United’s tame performance for large part of the game underlined how much work they have to do to make ambitions of knocking Manchester City and Liverpool “off their perch” become reality.

Bournemouth 0 Manchester City 1

Phil Foden’s 16th goal of the season helped Manchester City close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to one point at Bournemouth.

Pep Guardiola’s side had to contend with local fireworks, a misfiring Erling Haaland and a second-half onslaught from the hosts before they left the south coast with a 15th victory from their last 17 matches.

This latest triumph was thanks to Foden’s 24th-minute tap-in, but it was the Cherries who did most of the running from there afterwards and were unlucky to lose with Marcus Tavernier squandering two fine chances.

Nevertheless, this win for the champions keeps them firmly in the hunt for another title ahead of a bumper month of March with league clashes to come with Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Aston Villa 4 Nottingham Forest 2

Aston Villa strengthened their grip on a top-four position with a pulsating 4-2 win over Nottingham Forest.

Villa have their sights firmly set on Champions League qualification and a first home league win of 2024 saw them move five points clear of Tottenham in fifth.

Ollie Watkins and Douglas Luiz’s double saw them cruise into a 3-0 first-half lead only for Forest to scare them with goals either side of half-time through Moussa Niakhate and Morgan Gibbs-White.

But Leon Bailey struck on the hour to give Villa breathing space and they saw it out to give themselves a cushion over the chasing pack.

Forest were lucky still to be in the game at half-time after being overrun in the first 40 minutes but improved after the break and had enough chances to scrape a point, which would have been handy in their battle against relegation.

Crystal Palace 3 Burnley 0

New Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner got off to the perfect start with a 3-0 win over 10-man Burnley at Selhurst Park.

The visitors were down to 10 men in the 35th minute when Josh Brownhill was shown a straight red card for bringing down Palace midfielder Jefferson Lerma.

Chris Richards headed Palace in front after 68 minutes, the American’s first goal for the club, before Jordan Ayew swiftly added another. Jean-Philippe Mateta wrapped things up with a third from the penalty spot with 11 minutes left.

Burnley, who remain deep in relegation trouble, saw a late goal from David Fofana ruled out for offside in the build-up.

Brighton 1 Everton 1

Lewis Dunk denied Everton a crucial win with a stoppage-time equaliser as 10-man Brighton rescued a 1-1 draw at the Amex Stadium.

The Seagulls captain, on his 400th league appearance for his boyhood club, nodded in a corner from Pascal Gross in the 95th minute.

His goal cancelled out a stunning strike from another centre half, Jarrod Branthwaite, and stretched Everton’s winless run to nine matches.

Sean Dyche’s side did at least edge a point clear of the relegation zone, but this will feel like a horrible two points dropped against a Brighton side who were at that stage a man light after Billy Gilmour’s red card.

  • See our new project Common Ground, Evolving Islands: Ireland & Britain
  • Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
  • Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
  • Our In The News podcast is now published daily – Find the latest episode here