The English Premier League (EPL) league table continues to get intense with each passing matchday. This past weekend produced some interesting results.
Brighton 2-4 Arsenal
Bukayo Saka scored after only 66 seconds as ruthless Arsenal beat Brighton and Hove Albion 4-2 to go seven points clear at the top of the Premier League. Mikel Arteta’s side ended 2022 in style at the Amex Stadium, Saka setting them on their way early on and Martin Odegaard adding a second goal in the first half. Eddie Nketiah put them three goals up right at the start of the second half and Gabriel Martinelli got in on the act after Kaoru Mitoma pulled one back. Evan Ferguson’s first Premier League goal was too little, too late as the leaders extended their winning run to five top-flight games despite a late rally from Brighton that saw Mitoma have a goal ruled out.
Tottenham 0-2 Aston Villa
Emiliano Buendia and Douglas Luiz condemned Tottenham to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa in their opening match of 2023. Antonio Conte’s side missed the chance to return to the top four as their opponents ended a run of five successive Premier League defeats in London. Villa, who also claimed a first clean sheet in the English capital in 14 attempts, struck twice after the break at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with neat finishes from Buendia and Douglas Luiz. Tottenham remain fifth after suffering only a second loss from their last nine matches played on New Year’s Day.
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Chelsea
Serge Aurier stunned Chelsea with a clinical equaliser as Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest secured a 1-1 draw at the City Ground. A frenetic New Year’s Day game saw Raheem Sterling fire Chelsea into a 16th-minute lead, but Forest had several good chances and hit the crossbar before Aurier pulled them level just after the hour. Chelsea had lost their last three games on their travels, so they at least avoided a fourth successive defeat away from Stamford Bridge. However, the point leaves them seven points behind fourth-placed Manchester United as head coach Graham Potter battles to put the Blues back in the hunt for a Champions League place.
Other Results:
West Ham 0-2 Brentford
Liverpool 2-1 Leicester City
Wolves 0-1 Man Utd
Man City 1-1 Everton
Fulham 2-1 Southampton
Bournemouth 0-2 Crystal Palace
Newcastle 0-0 Leeds United
