VIKTOR GYOKERES AND Declan Rice struck first-half goals as Arsenal won 2-0 at Burnley to extend their lead at the Premier League’s summit and make it nine straight wins in all competitions.
Gyokeres struck the opener from a corner as Mikel Arteta’s side also improved on their league-leading set-piece goals tally before Rice’s superb header put them 2-0 up at half-time.
The Gunners would have led by more at the break but for two saves from goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, who twice denied Bukayo Saka.
Burnley had won back-to-back league games to move five points clear of the bottom three prior to Arsenal’s visit, but were unable to lay a glove on the Londoners and will move quickly on after a sixth defeat of the season.
After an uneventful opening, Arsenal took the lead in the 14th minute in trademark style from another expertly-taken corner by Rice.
The England midfielder’s curling inswinger to the far post was played back across goal by Gabriel and Gyokeres nodded in from close range for his fourth league goal of the season and sixth in 17 appearances for the Gunners in all competitions.
It was Arsenal’s 12th goal from a set piece this season, excluding penalties – more than any top-flight rival – and it signalled a spell of concerted pressure for the visitors.
They were denied a second when Dubravka saved in a one-on-one with Saka after Maxime Esteve had slipped.
Saka was then thwarted by an even better save by the Slovakia goalkeeper following a swift turnover in midfield, before Leandro Trossard’s goal-bound effort was blocked on the line by Quilindschy Hartman and Axel Tuanzebe.
Advertisement
Arsenal struck their second in the 35th minute, breaking upfield after clearing a Burnley throw-in deep in their own half and swiftly working the ball wide for Trossard, whose cross was met by a thumping Rice header into the top corner.
It was no more than Arsenal deserved, while Burnley failed to muster a single effort on goal in the first half.
Dubravka comfortably saved Trossard’s low shot after the restart and with the Gunners content to drop deeper – with one eye already on Tuesday’s Champions League game in Prague – Burnley enjoyed more possession in the second half.
Florentino Luis’ header from Esteve’s flick-on, which sailed over the crossbar in the 73rd minute, was Burnley’s first effort on goal.
Arsenal substitute Ethan Nwaneri fired narrowly wide and Dubravka kept out Christian Norgaard’s late effort before Burnley substitute Marcus Edwards’ free-kick hit a post deep in stoppage time.
Another three points and a seventh clean sheet in 11 league matches this season for Arsenal, who last conceded a goal in any competition in a 2-1 win at Newcastle in September.
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s eighth goal of the season set CrystalPalace on course for a 2-0 victory over Keith Andrews’ Brentford at Selhurst Park that got them back to winning ways.
Nathan Collins turned the ball into his own net. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Mateta’s opener on the half-hour was added to by an own goal from Ireland defender Nathan Collins early in the second half as the Eagles backed up their win at Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday with their first victory in four league games.
What had previously been a good week for Brentford ended on a flat note as they barely threatened in reply.
Diego Gomez scored his first Premier League goals of the season as Brighton romped to a 3-0 win over a desperately poor Leeds at the Amex Stadium.
The home side were at their dynamic, free-flowing best and showed no mercy once Daniel Farke’s team began to fall apart midway through the second half, though even before that Leeds had offered next to nothing.
It was a miserable away performance throughout which laid bare the problems this team has scoring goals on the road with just three all season.
Danny Welbeck opened the scoring early, the visitors held the score at 1-0 for almost an hour then capitulated in the space of seven minutes, Gomez twice showing perfect timing in the box to put Leeds to the sword.
Winless Wolves slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Fulham to cast huge doubt over the future of boss Vítor Pereira.
Strikes from Ryan Sessegnon and Harry Wilson, as well as Yerson Mosquera’s own goal, kept Wanderers – who had Emmanuel Agbadou sent off in the first half – rooted to the foot of the Premier League.
Their sorry return of just two points from their opening 10 matches is one point worse than at the same stage last season, when Pereira was parachuted in to save them from the drop.
Now the Wolves hierarchy could be considering pressing the ejector button, with the Portuguese coach finding his position under increasing scrutiny after a calamitous defeat against a side who had lost their last four matches.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
22 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Viktor Gyokeres on target as Arsenal ease to victory at Burnley
VIKTOR GYOKERES AND Declan Rice struck first-half goals as Arsenal won 2-0 at Burnley to extend their lead at the Premier League’s summit and make it nine straight wins in all competitions.
Gyokeres struck the opener from a corner as Mikel Arteta’s side also improved on their league-leading set-piece goals tally before Rice’s superb header put them 2-0 up at half-time.
The Gunners would have led by more at the break but for two saves from goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, who twice denied Bukayo Saka.
Burnley had won back-to-back league games to move five points clear of the bottom three prior to Arsenal’s visit, but were unable to lay a glove on the Londoners and will move quickly on after a sixth defeat of the season.
After an uneventful opening, Arsenal took the lead in the 14th minute in trademark style from another expertly-taken corner by Rice.
The England midfielder’s curling inswinger to the far post was played back across goal by Gabriel and Gyokeres nodded in from close range for his fourth league goal of the season and sixth in 17 appearances for the Gunners in all competitions.
It was Arsenal’s 12th goal from a set piece this season, excluding penalties – more than any top-flight rival – and it signalled a spell of concerted pressure for the visitors.
They were denied a second when Dubravka saved in a one-on-one with Saka after Maxime Esteve had slipped.
Saka was then thwarted by an even better save by the Slovakia goalkeeper following a swift turnover in midfield, before Leandro Trossard’s goal-bound effort was blocked on the line by Quilindschy Hartman and Axel Tuanzebe.
Arsenal struck their second in the 35th minute, breaking upfield after clearing a Burnley throw-in deep in their own half and swiftly working the ball wide for Trossard, whose cross was met by a thumping Rice header into the top corner.
It was no more than Arsenal deserved, while Burnley failed to muster a single effort on goal in the first half.
Dubravka comfortably saved Trossard’s low shot after the restart and with the Gunners content to drop deeper – with one eye already on Tuesday’s Champions League game in Prague – Burnley enjoyed more possession in the second half.
Florentino Luis’ header from Esteve’s flick-on, which sailed over the crossbar in the 73rd minute, was Burnley’s first effort on goal.
Arsenal substitute Ethan Nwaneri fired narrowly wide and Dubravka kept out Christian Norgaard’s late effort before Burnley substitute Marcus Edwards’ free-kick hit a post deep in stoppage time.
Another three points and a seventh clean sheet in 11 league matches this season for Arsenal, who last conceded a goal in any competition in a 2-1 win at Newcastle in September.
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s eighth goal of the season set Crystal Palace on course for a 2-0 victory over Keith Andrews’ Brentford at Selhurst Park that got them back to winning ways.
Mateta’s opener on the half-hour was added to by an own goal from Ireland defender Nathan Collins early in the second half as the Eagles backed up their win at Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday with their first victory in four league games.
What had previously been a good week for Brentford ended on a flat note as they barely threatened in reply.
Diego Gomez scored his first Premier League goals of the season as Brighton romped to a 3-0 win over a desperately poor Leeds at the Amex Stadium.
The home side were at their dynamic, free-flowing best and showed no mercy once Daniel Farke’s team began to fall apart midway through the second half, though even before that Leeds had offered next to nothing.
It was a miserable away performance throughout which laid bare the problems this team has scoring goals on the road with just three all season.
Danny Welbeck opened the scoring early, the visitors held the score at 1-0 for almost an hour then capitulated in the space of seven minutes, Gomez twice showing perfect timing in the box to put Leeds to the sword.
Winless Wolves slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Fulham to cast huge doubt over the future of boss Vítor Pereira.
Strikes from Ryan Sessegnon and Harry Wilson, as well as Yerson Mosquera’s own goal, kept Wanderers – who had Emmanuel Agbadou sent off in the first half – rooted to the foot of the Premier League.
Their sorry return of just two points from their opening 10 matches is one point worse than at the same stage last season, when Pereira was parachuted in to save them from the drop.
Now the Wolves hierarchy could be considering pressing the ejector button, with the Portuguese coach finding his position under increasing scrutiny after a calamitous defeat against a side who had lost their last four matches.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Premier League Soccer Arsenal