Arsenal close gap on Liverpool, Marmoush treble lifts City
LONDON: Arsenal ignored their injury woes to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool as Mikel Merino inspired a 2-0 win against Leicester City, while Omar Marmoush’s hat-trick fired Manchester City’s 4-0 rout of top four rivals Newcastle United on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal were in danger of wasting a chance to put pressure on Liverpool in the title race as they laboured to make the breakthrough at the King Power Stadium.
With his attacking options limited by a host of injuries, Arteta sent on Spain midfielder Merino to act as a makeshift striker in the closing stages.
It proved an inspired move as Merino netted twice in the last nine minutes to extend Arsenal’s unbeaten run in the league to 15 games.
In the 81st minute, Ethan Nwaneri swung a pin-point cross into the Leicester area and Merino found space to thump his header past Mads Hermansen from six yards.
Seven minutes later, Leandro Trossard whipped a cross into the six-yard box and Merino’s well-timed run eluded the Leicester defence as he slotted home to move second-placed Arsenal within four points of Liverpool.
With Kai Havertz ruled out for the season after suffering a hamstring injury blocking a shot during Arsenal’s recent training trip to Dubai, Arteta was left with a threadbare attack.
Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli were already sidelined by injuries.
Having lost 2-0 at Newcastle in the League Cup semi-final second leg before an extended break due to their early FA Cup exit, the Gunners returned to action with a vital victory.
Liverpool can increase the lead back to seven points if they beat lowly Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield on Sunday.
At the Etihad Stadium, Egypt forward Marmoush scored his first City goals since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt during the January transfer window.
Marmoush ended a run of four games without a goal in the 19th minute as he sprinted onto Ederson’s long kick and deftly lobbed Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka.
Just five minutes later, Marmoush found the back of the net again with a powerful blast that took a deflection off Kieran Trippier as it whistled past Dubravka.
The 26-year-old wasn’t done, and he completed his 14-minute hat-trick in the 33rd minute. Savinho’s pass found Marmoush in the Newcastle area and he was granted time and space to slot home for the first treble of his career.
James McAtee’s 84th minute volley capped a much-needed boost for City after Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League play-off round first leg.
But there was a scare for City when Norway striker Erling Haaland was forced off with a potential knee injury in the closing stages.
Now fourth in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola’s men head to Real on Wednesday needing a second-leg revival to avoid European elimination.
Seventh-placed Newcastle are three points adrift of the top four in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Third-placed Nottingham Forest slumped to a 2-1 defeat Fulham.
Emile Smith Rowe netted in the 15th minute for Fulham and although Chris Wood equalised in the 37th minute, Calvin Bassey’s header sealed the points in the 62nd minute.
Bournemouth are up to fifth as their unlikely bid to qualify for the Champions League gathered pace with a 3-1 win at bottom of the table Southampton.
Dango Ouattara headed home in the 14th minute before Ryan Christie’s fierce finish two minutes later.
Kamaldeen Sulemana got one back in the 72nd minute, but Marcus Tavernier sealed the points in the 83rd minute.
Ten-man Ipswich Town held on for a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.
Ipswich defender Axel Tuanzebe was sent off just before half-time after earning a second yellow card for a foul on Jacob Ramsey.
Liam Delap put Ipswich ahead from Omari Hutchinson’s 56th minute cross, but Ollie Watkins tapped in the equaliser after Marcus Rashford’s free-kick hit the bar in the 69th minute.
Kevin Schade’s fourth-minute goal clinched Brentford’s 1-0 win at West Ham United.
On Friday, Enzo Maresca admitted Chelsea’s dismal 3-0 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion was the “worst performance” of his reign as a brilliant goal by Kaoru Mitoma and a Yankuba Minteh double gave the Seagulls victory, a week after they knocked their London visitors out of the FA Cup.
Missing strikers Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu through injury, Chelsea — who entered the weekend fourth in the standings — dominated possession but did not manage a single shot on target at the Amex Stadium.
“I feel pressure always, not only now, but tonight the performance we can say was the worst performance since I arrived,” manager Maresca said. “With this result the frustration is with everything. We feel really sorry for the fans who came here.”
Japanese winger Mitoma broke the deadlock with a moment of magic midway through the first half, bringing down a long ball from keeper Bart Verbruggen with an exquisite first touch before cutting inside Trevoh Chalobah and curling the ball in at the far post.
Chelsea were two behind in the 38th minute when they failed to clear their lines and Danny Welbeck poked the ball into the path of Minteh, who expertly evaded a tackle by ex-Brighton fullback Marc Cucurella before drilling it into the net.
With Chelsea barely threatening, Minteh added his second in the 63rd minute, delighting the fans by cutting inside Cucurella to score at the near post.
Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2025