Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes took another hit on Sunday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The result extends Arsenal’s winless run in the league to four games, leaving them nine points adrift of leaders Liverpool.
Gabriel Martinelli put the Gunners ahead in the 60th minute, firing a shot past Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez. However, the lead was short-lived as Pedro Neto equalized for the Blues ten minutes later, ensuring both sides shared the points.
“It’s about transforming these performances into victories,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said after the match. “We need to capitalize on our chances and maintain our focus throughout the game.”
Despite climbing to fourth place in the standings, Arsenal’s recent form has seen a gap open up at the top. Chelsea move ahead of Arsenal into third place on goal difference, while Manchester City sit second, five points behind Liverpool.
Liverpool have been dominant under new manager Arne Slot, taking advantage of the faltering form of both Arsenal and Manchester City. City suffered their second consecutive league defeat, widening the gap at the summit.
“It’s a long season—a long way to go,” Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard commented. “We had a tough period in December last season and came back. We know the quality and mentality we have, and we just have to keep going.”
In other matches, Manchester United continued their resurgence with a convincing 3-0 victory over Leicester City. United remain unbeaten in all competitions under interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who took charge following the departure of Erik ten Hag.
Incoming head coach Ruben Amorim is set to take over at Old Trafford on Monday after concluding his tenure at Sporting CP. “We said, ‘Let’s make the most of these four games, get the maximum out of it,’ and I think we did an okay job,” van Nistelrooy said. “I really enjoyed it; it’s been a short but amazing period.”
Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring for United with a stunning curling shot in the 17th minute. An own goal by Leicester’s Victor Kristiansen doubled the lead before halftime, and substitute Alejandro Garnacho sealed the win with a spectacular long-range effort in the 82nd minute.
Elsewhere, Newcastle United defeated Nottingham Forest 3-1, while Ipswich Town secured a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
