FOOTBALL: ARSENAL TOP PREMIER LEAGUE AS LIVERPOOL PREPARE TO HOST MAN UTD
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Agency Report
On Sunday, Arsenal defeated Brighton 2-0 to overtake Liverpool atop the Premier League standings, setting up Jurgen Klopp’s team for a thrilling matchup with a struggling Manchester United.
West Ham thrashed Wolves 3-0, while Aston Villa, coming off potentially season-defining victories against Manchester City and Arsenal, rallied to defeat 10-man Brentford 2-1.
Arsenal, who finished second to City the previous season, led by Mikel Arteta, controlled at the Emirates and missed several opportunities until breaking through in the 53rd minute.
Jan Paul van Hecke, a defender for Brighton, leaped to head a corner away, but he was only able to flip it into Gabriel Jesus’s path, who headed the ball into an empty net.
In the last moments, Kai Havertz gave the Gunners a double; he was found by Eddie Nketiah and slotted past custodian Bart Verbruggen.
At the stroke of halftime against Brentford, a strike by Keane Lewis-Potter gave Unai Emery’s Villa the lead across London.
But Ben Mee of Brentford was sent off in the 71st minute, and Alex Moreno’s header from a Leon Bailey cross six minutes later levelled the score for Villa.
With five minutes remaining, Ollie Watkins headed in a Boubacar Kamara flick-on from a corner to complete the comeback against his old team.
Villa now have 38 points from 17 games, one behind Arsenal and one ahead of Liverpool, who kick off later in the day.
• Paqueta shines –
Mohammed Kudus scored twice and Lucas Paqueta provided all three assists at the London Stadium as West Ham put last week’s 5-0 drubbing by Fulham behind them.
The Ghana forward netted midway through the first period following a swift counter-attack, finishing powerfully after he was found by the impressive Paqueta.
West Ham doubled their advantage in the 32nd minute, when Paqueta and Kudus again combined to deadly effect and top-scorer Jarrod Bowen hit the post with goalkeeper Dan Bentley a bystander.
Wolves thought they had pulled a goal back just before the hour mark but Pablo Sarabia’s tap-in was ruled out for a marginal offside.
West Ham put the result beyond doubt when Bowen finished unerringly after receiving the ball from Paqueta.
On Saturday, Manchester City let slip a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace, before jetting off to Saudi Arabia to play in the Club World Cup.
It means Liverpool can go six points clear of the defending champions if they beat struggling United at Anfield in the late afternoon kick-off.
Erik ten Hag’s men who last season suffered a 7-0 drubbing at Anfield, have lost 12 of their 24 games in all competitions this season.
With the exception of last season’s 2-1 win at Old Trafford, United’s recent record against Liverpool is dire — they have lost four of the past five meetings, conceding 21 goals in the process.
United captain Bruno Fernandes is suspended while out-of-form Marcus Rashford was once again left on the bench.
Saturday’s Premier League action was overshadowed by a shocking incident at Bournemouth, where Luton captain Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest, forcing the game to be abandoned.
Luton confirmed Lockyer was responsive before being taken to hospital and was in a “stable” condition. In an update on Sunday the club said he was undergoing tests and scans.
AFP
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