ARSENAL’S REJUVENATED PUSH for the top four continues following a 2-1 win at home to Cardiff City. Mesut Ozil returned to the starting line-up for the first-time since St Stephen’s Day but, like his teammates, failed to make an impact during a tepid first-half in which Arsenal failed to register a shot on target.
The Gunners finally made the breakthrough through a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty midway through the second-half, while his strike partner Alex Lacazette sealed the win with a goal of his own seven minutes of time.
Nathanie Mendez-Laing netted a last-minute consolation for Cardiff.
This game was Cardiff’s first since the tragic disappearance of recent signing Emiliano Sala and as a mark of respect, Arsenal listed his name as being among the Cardiff squad in the match programme.
Elsewhere, Fulham gave their hopes of survival an improbable boost with a come-from-behind 4-2 win at home to Brighton. The Seagulls led 2-0 at the break through a Glenn Murray brace, but Fulham completed an extraordinary escape with second-half goals from Calum Chambers and Luciano Vietto, either side of an Aleksander Mitrovic double.
Their victory leaves Huddersfield Town looking increasingly doomed at the foot of the table, as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat to 10-man Everton.
Everton led after just three minutes, but played the final third of the game with a numerical disadvantage as Lucas Digne was sent off just 10 minutes after coming off the bench. That Everton bench featured James McCarthy, who failed to make an appearance on his return from a broken leg.
Wolves, meanwhile, hammered West Ham 3-0. Roman Saiss opened the scoring, with Raul Jimenez scored twice late on.
Join us to preview the Six Nations with Simon Zebo, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey on Thursday @7pm in Liberty Hall Theatre Dublin.
