Arsenal’s No-Win Streak Continues with 1-1 Tie Against Chelsea, as Manchester United Defeats Leicester 3-0
Arsenal’s aspirations for the Premier League trophy encountered another speed bump when they ended in a 1-1 deadlock against Chelsea on Sunday.
Mikel Arteta’s squad now finds themselves without a win from four consecutive league matches, trailing nine points behind the table-toppers, Liverpool.
Even though Arsenal managed to inch up to fourth place, their recent inability to secure victories has widened the gap at the top. Chelsea holds third place, barely surpassing Arsenal on goal difference.
Gabriel Martinelli gave Arsenal the edge by scoring in the 60th minute at Stamford Bridge, only for Pedro Neto to level the score ten minutes later.
“It’s about converting these performances into triumphs,” Arteta reflected after the game.
Having finished just behind Manchester City in the past two seasons, Arsenal was anticipated to be the reigning champions’ fiercest competitors once more.
Contrary to expectations, it’s Liverpool, now under the guidance of new manager Arne Slot, that has surged ahead, capitalizing on the shaky form of both City and Arsenal. City lags five points behind in second after consecutive defeats.
Arsenal’s captain, Martin Odegaard, told Sky Sports, “The season is a marathon. We hit a rough patch last December but bounced back.” As reported by the BBC, Odegaard had been making his first start following an ankle ligament injury in September. “We know our quality and resolve. We just have to keep the momentum going.”
The league is getting more and more clustered towards the top two spots.
Only a quartet of points separate Chelsea and 13th-place Manchester United as the season reaches its 11th round.
Injury Concerns
Declan Rice played with a broken toe and was subbed off in the 71st minute. Bukayo Saka followed 10 minutes later, casting a shadow over their availability for England’s Nations League clashes against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.
Arteta commented, “Uncertainty surrounds their fitness because if they weren’t struggling, they wouldn’t come off.”
New Era Incoming
Enter Ruben Amorim.
The soon-to-be Manchester United head coach inherits a team riding high after a 3-0 victory against Leicester — their fourth unbeaten game across all contests under the interim leadership of Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Amorim officially takes the reins on Monday after finishing his tenure at Sporting Lisbon, where he secured a 4-2 triumph against Braga. He arrives to find the club in markedly better form compared to when Erik ten Hag was dismissed last month.
Van Nistelrooy reflected, “We aimed to maximize the potential of these four games, and overall, we did quite well. It was brief, but an exhilarating experience.”
During his short stint, Van Nistelrooy, a former club legend as both coach and player, achieved three wins and a draw.
As Amorim prepares to take charge, Van Nistelrooy awaits word from the club about his own role moving forward.
“I expect clarity today or tomorrow,” he mentioned.
Bruno Fernandes, marking his 250th appearance for United, scored with a stunning curl into the net in the 17th minute at Old Trafford.
Victor Kristiansen’s error increased United’s lead before halftime when he inadvertently redirected Fernandes’ shot past Leicester’s goalie, Mads Hermansen.
Alex Garnacho, coming off the bench, achieved an even more jaw-dropping goal than Fernandes’ by striking from outside the box into the top corner in the 82nd minute. However, Fernandes remarked that the Argentine winger didn’t fully relish the moment due to a perceived loss of support from fans.
Newcastle’s Resilient Comeback
Nottingham Forest’s impressive ascent has been highlighted this season, but they let slip the chance to close in on second-place Manchester City, succumbing 3-1 to Newcastle.
With City falling 2-1 to Brighton prior, Forest had the opportunity to edge to within one point of Pep Guardiola’s side. Murillo’s goal put them ahead in the 21st minute at the City Ground.
However, Newcastle turned the tables with second-half strikes from Alexander Isak, Joelinton, and Harvey Barnes, climbing to eighth with their comeback victory.
As a result, Forest fell from third to fifth due to goal difference.
Ipswich Breaks Through with a Win
Ipswich celebrated their maiden league win of the season, securing a 2-1 victory over Tottenham to escape the relegation zone.
This marked Ipswich’s first Premier League triumph in over two decades.
Formerly the only top-tier side without a victory, Ipswich led 2-0 at halftime against a Spurs team that could have cracked the top four with a win.
Goals from Sam Szmodics and Liam Delap in the first half put Ipswich ahead, and despite Rodrigo Bentancur narrowing the gap, Ipswich prevented Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs from averting their fifth league defeat of the season.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
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