7 Nov 2022

Arsenal back on top of Premier League

7:37 am on 7 November 2022

A 63rd-minute toe-poke on the goal line by Brazilian defender Gabriel earned Arsenal a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and lifted them back to the top of the Premier League.

Arsenal players celebrate

Arsenal celebrate Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Gabriel, lurking at the far post, got on the end of a Bukayo Saka corner that flew past a line of Chelsea defenders.

The deserved victory in a highly-charged London derby sent Arsenal two points clear of Manchester City on 34 points and left a second-best Blues side languishing in seventh, 13 points behind.

Chelsea have earned just two points from their last four league matches and have lost two in succession after last week's 4-1 drubbing by Potter's former side Brighton & Hove Albion.

Newcastle United produced another ruthlessly impressive display in a 4-1 Premier League win over struggling Southampton at the St Mary's Stadium, with All Whites striker Chris Wood scoring.

Woods came on at half time to help seal Newcastles fourth straight win.

The result lifted Newcastle, who extended their unbeaten run to nine matches, to third place on 27 points from 14 games.

Southampton remained 18th on 12 points after a sixth defeat in nine games, having dropped into the relegation zone after Leicester City's win over Everton on Saturday.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah cleverly fashioned one goal and was gifted another in the first-half as the visitors claimed a 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur.

The result ended a run of two Premier League defeats for Liverpool, leaving them eighth on 19 points after 13 games. Spurs slipped to fourth on 26 from 14.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery tasted victory in his first game in charge as his side beat Manchester United 3-1, the visitors' first defeat in 10 matches in all competitions.

Former Arsenal boss Emery was given a warm welcome by home supporters ahead of the match, and he could not have wished for a better start to life back in the Premier League as Villa raced into a two-goal lead inside 11 minutes.

Tempers flared as the match reached its climax, but United could not muster a comeback, losing for the first time at Villa Park in the league since 1995 to stay fifth in the standings as a well-deserved victory lifted Villa to 14th.

Michael Olise scored a 94th-minute goal as Crystal Palace earned a first away win of the season with a 2-1 victory over a sloppy West Ham United at the London Stadium.

They climb to ninth in the table with 19 points from 13 games, while West Ham are in 15th with 14 points from 14 games.

-Reuters