LONDON: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his eighth Premier League goal of the season to earn Arsenal a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Bournemouth on Sunday that moved them within a point of the Premier League’s top four.
The Gunners had drawn their last three league games but Aubameyang’s second-half strike was enough to extend their unbeaten run to 17 matches in all competitions.
The home team’s record signing Jefferson Lerma scored a spectacular volleyed own goal to give Arsenal the lead but Norwegian international Josh King equalised just before halftime.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang slid in the Gunners’ second goal in the 68th minute and their three-man back line held out as they moved to within a point of Chelsea.
The north Londoners have been revitalised since Emery replaced Arsene Wenger in the close-season and this was another test passed by the Spaniard.
Arsenal can make up ground on their big local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who are still three points ahead of them in third place, by winning the north London derby next weekend.
On Saturday, Spurs ended Chelsea’s unbeaten start to the season with a breathtaking display of attacking football at Wembley that saw them seal an emphatic 3-1 win and refresh their title challenge.
The win lifted them above their London rivals to 30 points but unbeaten Manchester City still looked in a class of their own at the top as Leroy Sane scored twice in a 4-0 stroll over West Ham United at the London Stadium.
It put City onto 35 points from 13 matches but nearest pursuers Liverpool, also still unbeaten, remained just two points behind the champions, keeping up the pressure with a 3-0 win at Watford.
Manchester United are 14 points adrift of the leaders as Paul Pogba was hauled off by Jose Mourinho as they failed to break down Crystal Palace in a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford.
Everton leapfrogged United to move up to sixth with a 1-0 victory over Cardiff City thanks to Gylfi Sigurdsson’s goal, while Claudio Ranieri won his first match in charge of Fulham in a 3-2 thriller over fellow strugglers Southampton.
SPURS END CHELSEA RUN
Much had been made of the unbeaten runs of City, Liverpool and Chelsea but Spurs had, quietly, made an impressive start to their own campaign and were at their brilliant best at a raucous Wembley.
After City and Liverpool had won, the writing was quickly on the wall for Maurizio Sarri’s men in the day’s late fixture as Chelsea went 2-0 down inside 16 minutes to goals from Dele Alli and Harry Kane.
Spurs added a sensational third when Son Heung-min carried the ball from inside his own half, beat two men with ease before finishing neatly.
Chelsea, who scored a late consolation through substitute Olivier Giroud, dropped seven points behind City.
“I am so happy. All credit to the players because they were fantastic,” Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said. “We need to be humble and recognise playing like this we can do big things. Our challenge is to be consistent.”
Sane’s double along with goals from David Silva and Raheem Sterling helped Man City record their eighth consecutive victory.
Liverpool remain on City’s coat-tails as Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roberto Firmino all struck in the final quarter at Vicarage Road.
With City and Liverpool scoring freely, United’s struggles were put firmly into focus as Mourinho’s team stuttered to a home draw with Palace.
Boos greeted the final whistle at Old Trafford, such was the home side’s listless performance against a side without a league win for 10 weeks.
Ranieri couldn’t stop Fulham leaking goals in his first match in charge at Craven Cottage, but did secure a first win in 10 league games as Aleksandar Mitrovic scored twice to edge a five-goal thriller.
Jamie Vardy netted his first goal since September as 10-man Leicester City secured a 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018