Mikel Merino rescued a 1-1 draw for Arsenal against a 10-man Chelsea, on a Sunday that intensified the bid for the Premier League title.
Arsenal leads the way with a five-point difference over Manchester City, which climbed into second place. Chelsea fell one point further back in third place.
Chelsea had to fight outnumbered from the end of the first half when Ecuadorian midfielder Moisés Caicedo was sent off for a reckless challenge on Merino. But the home team took the lead in the 48th minute with a header from Trevoh Chalobah.
Merino equalized in the 59th, but Arsenal were unable to take advantage of their numerical advantage and dropped points away from home for the second game in a row.
Arsenal beat Bayern Munich in midweek in the Champions League and Arteta said it had been a positive week, although he accepted: “We should have won the game (on Sunday), and we didn’t. That’s a learning point for me.”
City were the big winners of the weekend, after their agonizing victory on Saturday against Leeds that saw Pep Guardiola’s team rise above Chelsea to second place in the standings.
“I think we showed that we are going in the right direction. We were a much, much better team than them when we were 11 against 11. Then, with 10 players, it was more difficult, but the way they dealt with that situation was outstanding,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca said.
Liverpool and Manchester United emerged victorious in their visits to London rivals. The Reds beat West Ham 2-0, while United came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1.
Thanks to several saving interventions by Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, Aston Villa finished fourth after beating last-place Wolverhampton 1-0. Brighton is fifth after its 2-0 away victory against Nottingham Forest.
Isak launches his account
Alexander Isak scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool. It was vital for the Reds, who had just lost six of their last seven league games.
On the day when Mohamed Salah was relegated to the bench, Isak opened the scoring. Cody Gakpo scored the second goal for Arne Slot’s team.
“I’m aware it’s been a long time and I’ve been trying to get back to my best form,” Isak told Sky Sports. “I’m still on the road, but I’m happy to have gotten that goal.”
Isak, the protagonist of a record signing in British football for the payment of 170 million dollars to Newcastle in the summer, had not scored in his five league games with his new club and had just one goal in 10 games in total. But in the absence of Salah, the Swedish international defined first at 60 to open his account in the Premier.
Slot’s bold decision to leave out the iconic Salah paid off after the Egyptian international’s unconvincing form this season. Slot reorganized his attack, with Florian Wirtz and Gakpo alongside Isak.
Isak’s clinical finish into the bottom corner put Liverpool in control and West Ham’s chances suffered another blow when Lucas Paquetá was sent off in the 84th minute.
Gakpo converted in the second minute of added time to put the game away.
“We have to use this victory in a good way, but also be humble because we have been through a difficult time, so a victory does not necessarily mean that we are back,” Isak said.
Zirkzee’s left foot
Zirkzee had not scored in England’s top flight since a brace against Everton on December 1 last year. But the Dutch striker ended his drought with a stunning 54th-minute goal at Selhurst Park to level the game after Jean-Philippe Mateta had put Palace ahead with a first-half penalty.
Mason Mount scored the decisive goal nine minutes later. United ended Palace’s 12-game unbeaten home run in the league.
A brilliant individual action from Zirkzee got United into the game. After a free kick taken by Bruno Fernandes on the left, he controlled the ball with his chest inside the area, made a turn and finished with a left foot shot from almost no angle. It was just his eighth goal in total for United since arriving from Bologna last year and his first this season.
He entered United’s starting eleven after injuries to forwards Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha and offered one of his best moments in his time at the club.
“Scoring is important, but it’s not just the goals. They give confidence, but Joshua has also improved a lot in how he retains the ball. That should give him a lot more confidence,” said United coach Ruben Amorim.
Mount scored the decisive goal from a free kick by shooting low from the edge of the area after a pass from Fernandes.
Mateta put Palace ahead with a penalty taken twice in the 36th. The France international was deemed to have made a double touch on the first take and was asked to repeat it, according to a rule clarification implemented after Argentinian Julián Álvarez’s accidental double touch in a penalty shootout against Real Madrid last season helped knock Atlético Madrid out of the Champions League.
Victories for Villa and Brighton
Villa’s Boubacar Kamara scored the only goal of the game to settle the Midlands derby against Wolves.
Wolves remain winless at the bottom of the table and nine points from safety.
Goals from Maxim De Cuyper and Stefanos Tzimas gave fifth-placed Brighton victory at Nottingham Forest.
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