Arsenal have gone top of the Premier League for at least one day after a 3-1 home win over Stoke City. The North Londoners fell behind before half time when Charlie Adam put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot, but they rallied well and eventually claimed a comfortable win. The win was somewhat tainted, though, by an injury to Shkodran Mustafi, who limped off in the 25th minute. Elsewhere in the Premier League, Ilkay Gündogan started for Manchester City in their 4-2 loss to Leicester City, for whom Robert Huth and Ron-Robert Zieler both played the full 90 minutes.
Arsenal equalised before the break when Theo Walcott notched a clever finish at the near post from Héctor Bellerín’s low cross, then took the lead after 50 minutes when Germany international Mesut Özil scored his ninth goal of the season in all competitions. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain played a magnificent floated through ball and racing past the defensive line, Özil sent a looping header over the stranded goalkeeper. Alex Iwobi rounded off the win in the 75th minute.
Leicester go 2-0 up within 5 minutes
Leicester got off to a blistering start at home to Manchester City, stunning Pep Guardiola’s side by taking a two-goal lead within just five minutes of play. Jamie Vardy scored the first in the third minute, before Andy King produced a sensational strike to double his side’s lead two minutes later. Manchester City made attempts to get back into the game, but with a great deal of possession and a few squandered chances, could not find a way through. Riyad Mahrez provided an outstanding assist for Vardy to grab his second in the 20th minute, making it 3-0.
Vardy sealed his hat-trick in the 78th minute. City redeemed some credit with goals from Aleksandar Kolarov and Nolito in the final 10 minutes, but there was no hope of a comeback, as the match finished 4-2.
Arsenal and Chelsea now sit level in first place at the top of the Premier League table with 34 points each, though Chelsea can overtake them if they avoid defeat against West Bromwich Albion tomorrow (13:00 CET). Manchester City are four behind both on 30. Like Chelsea, Liverpool will be in action on Sunday, meeting West Ham United at 17:30 CET.
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Arsenal have gone top of the Premier League for at least one day after a 3-1 home win over Stoke City. The North Londoners fell behind before half time when Charlie Adam put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot, but they rallied well and eventually claimed a comfortable win. The win was somewhat tainted, though, by an injury to Shkodran Mustafi, who limped off in the 25th minute. Elsewhere in the Premier League, Ilkay Gündogan started for Manchester City in their 4-2 loss to Leicester City, for whom Robert Huth and Ron-Robert Zieler both played the full 90 minutes.
Arsenal equalised before the break when Theo Walcott notched a clever finish at the near post from Héctor Bellerín’s low cross, then took the lead after 50 minutes when Germany international Mesut Özil scored his ninth goal of the season in all competitions. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain played a magnificent floated through ball and racing past the defensive line, Özil sent a looping header over the stranded goalkeeper. Alex Iwobi rounded off the win in the 75th minute.
Leicester go 2-0 up within 5 minutes
Leicester got off to a blistering start at home to Manchester City, stunning Pep Guardiola’s side by taking a two-goal lead within just five minutes of play. Jamie Vardy scored the first in the third minute, before Andy King produced a sensational strike to double his side’s lead two minutes later. Manchester City made attempts to get back into the game, but with a great deal of possession and a few squandered chances, could not find a way through. Riyad Mahrez provided an outstanding assist for Vardy to grab his second in the 20th minute, making it 3-0.
Vardy sealed his hat-trick in the 78th minute. City redeemed some credit with goals from Aleksandar Kolarov and Nolito in the final 10 minutes, but there was no hope of a comeback, as the match finished 4-2.
Arsenal and Chelsea now sit level in first place at the top of the Premier League table with 34 points each, though Chelsea can overtake them if they avoid defeat against West Bromwich Albion tomorrow (13:00 CET). Manchester City are four behind both on 30. Like Chelsea, Liverpool will be in action on Sunday, meeting West Ham United at 17:30 CET.
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Barcelona and ter Stegen make ground on top spot
Marc-André ter Stegen and Barcelona have set their stall out for table leaders Real Madrid ahead of this weekend’s La Liga action. The Germany goalkeeper earned a clean sheet as his side picked up a 3-0 win over CA Osasuna to go three points behind Real Madrid, who have the chance to reassert their advantage this evening against Deportivo La Coruña.
It had been a mixed week for the Catalan side. Their last La Liga match saw them draw 1-1 in El Clásico against Real Madrid, though they followed that with a resounding 4-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach in the season’s final group stage match of the UEFA Champions League. The scores were level going into the break, but Luis Suárez broke the deadlock on 59 minutes, with Lionel Messi confirming the win with a brace, the first coming 14 minutes after the opener and the second in added time.
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