Arsenal capitalise on Alisson errors, cruise past Liverpool
Arsenal capitalised on an error from goalkeeper Alisson Becker to beat Liverpool 3-1 in the Premier League on Sunday. It was Gabriel Martinelli who took advantage of Alisson’s failure to clear the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box in the 67th minute. When Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes pumped in a long ball towards the opposition’s penalty box, Liverpool seemed to be in control but neither the onrushing Alisson nor the off-balance Virgil van Dijk was able to take control, allowing Martinelli an open goal to calmly slot the ball into the net.
Leandro Trossard sealed the contest with Arsenal’s third goal in stoppage time (90+2). Alisson was to blame for Trossard’s goal too. Liverpool were reduced to 10 men in the 88th minute when Ibrahima Konate received his second yellow card of the evening. The result means Arsenal are second in the standings with 49 points in 23 games while Liverpool continue to be on top with 51 points in the same number of matches.
Chelsea lose, United win
Mauricio Pochettino’s problems mounted as struggling Chelsea crashed to a dismal 4-2 defeat against Wolves, while Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund celebrated his 21st birthday with a goal in Sunday’s 3-0 win against West Ham.
Languishing in 11th place,
Chelsea were booed off by furious fans after Matheus Cunha’s hat-trick condemned them to a second successive defeat.
Chelsea were thrashed by Liverpool 4-1 on Wednesday and their week to forget finished with an even more embarrassing loss as Wolves completed the double over the woeful west Londoners. Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead with a composed angled finish from Moises Caicedo’s defence-splitting pass in the 19th minute.
But Chelsea’s lead lasted just three minutes, with Cunha’s shot taking a hefty deflection off Thiago Silva to leave Blues keeper Djordje Petrovic wrong-footed as
it whistled into the net. Pochettino wore an exasperated look in the 43rd minute when Rayan Ait Nouri’s shot deflected in for an own goal off Chelsea defender Axel Disasi. The already fraught atmosphere turned even more toxic in the 63rd minute as Pedro Neto teed up Cunha to drive in Wolves’ third goal.
Cunha’s 82nd minute penalty, awarded when he was fouled by Malo Gusto, capped a miserable afternoon for Pochettino, who took no consolation from Silva’s close-range finish in the 86th minute.
It has been a dispiriting first season in charge for Pochettino and the former Tottenham boss
is certain to face calls for his sacking unless results improve quickly.
Meanwhile, inspired by the revitalised Hojlund, Manchester United made it three consecutive wins in all competitions as they climbed above West Ham into sixth place. Finally emerging from a slow start to his first season with United following his move from Atalanta, Hojlund got his birthday party started in the 23rd minute at Old Trafford.
Casemiro’s pass reached Hojlund and the Denmark striker cleverly took a touch to find space for a fierce drive that flashed past Alphonse Areola from just inside the area.