TOOTHLESS ARSENAL DROPPED more points in their increasingly futile chase of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League after being held to a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest.
Boss Mikel Arteta said his side would concede the title “over my dead body” but he may have to accept his side’s challenge has died a death after this stalemate.
The Gunners, playing without a recognised striker, managed just one shot on target at the City Ground, with Riccardo Calafiori also hitting the post in the first half.
The game came to life soon after an even opening 20 minutes when Forest wanted a penalty as Callum Hudson-Odoi went down under a challenge from Calafiori, though referee Andrew Madeley waved away protests.
And, moments later, the Italian was involved at the other end as he was within inches of giving his side the lead as he spun Nicolas Dominguez but saw his curling effort hit the post. That was the closest side either came in a dull first half.
Arsenal registered their first effort on target six minutes after the restart. Mikel Merino arrived late from Declan Rice’s delivery but Matz Sels parried the header away.
The Gunners were camped in the Forest final third and threatened with more set-pieces as Kieran Tierney was off target from one corner while Sels did well to punch away another.
Forest finally forced David Raya into a meaningful save in the 70th minute when Morgan Gibbs-White slipped in Chris Wood but the striker fired straight at the goalkeeper.
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Neither side had the quality to break the deadlock as another nail was hammered into the coffin of Arsenal’s title challenge.
Mikel Arteta. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Ireland defender Jake O’Brien’s first Everton goal stretched their unbeaten run to seven Premier League matches after a 1-1 draw at Brentford.
Yoane Wissa’s 13th goal of the season looked set to condemn boss David Moyes to only a second defeat in his eighth league match back in charge.
But O’Brien’s second-half header made it 15 points from a possible 24 since Moyes returned to the hot-seat.
The Toffees could have won it as well, had in-form striker Beto not come out on the wrong side of his personal duel with Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken. Beto, with five goals in his last four league matches, should have scored at least one more before half-time, first when Bees defender Ethan Pinnock slipped as he tried to deal with a long ball.
Beto went through one-on-one with Flekken, but his shot was blocked by the Bees keeper. Moments later a Charly Alcaraz header sent Beto through once more, but again Flekken was out quickly to make another fine save.
An injury to Alcaraz halted Everton’s momentum, and in the subsequent stoppage time Brentford struck. When Schade’s throw bounced in the Everton penalty area, Bryan Mbeumo’s header came back off the crossbar and Wissa was first to react to nod in the rebound.
After the break Wissa had the ball in the net again only to be flagged offside.
Everton equalised in the 76th minute a the ball was worked to Vitalii Mykolenko on the corner of the area.
Mykolenko launched a high cross to the far post where O’Brien lost his marker Paris Maghoma and dived forward to plant his header past Flekken.
Beto had another late chance to win it for the visitors, but he was foiled once again by Flekken as the Bees clung on for a point.
Manchester City's Phil Foden (left) and Erling Haaland celebrate. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Erling Haaland scored his 20th Premier League goal of the season as Manchester City got their push for Champions League qualification back on track with a 1-0 victory at Tottenham.
City dominated the ball in the opening stages and it seemed only a matter of time before they would breach Spurs’ back-line.
Jeremy Doku received the ball out wide and after the Belgium international showed great feet to get a yard of space on Pedro Porro, his guided pass was met by the unmarked Haaland who found the bottom-left corner for 1-0.
Doku then stood the full-back up once again and used his weaker left foot to find the unmarked Savinho at the back post, with City’s opposite winger scuffing the chance for a second goal over the crossbar.
Lucas Bergvall was Tottenham’s shining light in the second half with the teenager’s immense dribbling ability beating City’s press prior to their best chance of the evening.
After the Swede dragged his side up the pitch, Porro was released down the right and his perfect cross was touched wide by the unmarked Wilson Odobert as a huge chance went begging at Ederson’s far post.
A series of poor attempts from January loan signing Mathys Tel let the visitors off the hook before Spurs ubstitute Son Heung-min was denied by a quick-thinking Ederson, who got down low to keep City’s clean sheet intact late on.
City were denied a second during four added minutes after Haaland was deemed to have handled the ball before scoring before Pape Sarr’s skied header from six yards meant City held on.
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Arsenal's title hopes suffer further blow, Ireland defender O’Brien scores first Everton goal
Results – Premier League
*****
TOOTHLESS ARSENAL DROPPED more points in their increasingly futile chase of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League after being held to a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest.
Boss Mikel Arteta said his side would concede the title “over my dead body” but he may have to accept his side’s challenge has died a death after this stalemate.
The Gunners, playing without a recognised striker, managed just one shot on target at the City Ground, with Riccardo Calafiori also hitting the post in the first half.
The game came to life soon after an even opening 20 minutes when Forest wanted a penalty as Callum Hudson-Odoi went down under a challenge from Calafiori, though referee Andrew Madeley waved away protests.
And, moments later, the Italian was involved at the other end as he was within inches of giving his side the lead as he spun Nicolas Dominguez but saw his curling effort hit the post. That was the closest side either came in a dull first half.
Arsenal registered their first effort on target six minutes after the restart. Mikel Merino arrived late from Declan Rice’s delivery but Matz Sels parried the header away.
The Gunners were camped in the Forest final third and threatened with more set-pieces as Kieran Tierney was off target from one corner while Sels did well to punch away another.
Forest finally forced David Raya into a meaningful save in the 70th minute when Morgan Gibbs-White slipped in Chris Wood but the striker fired straight at the goalkeeper.
Neither side had the quality to break the deadlock as another nail was hammered into the coffin of Arsenal’s title challenge.
Ireland defender Jake O’Brien’s first Everton goal stretched their unbeaten run to seven Premier League matches after a 1-1 draw at Brentford.
Yoane Wissa’s 13th goal of the season looked set to condemn boss David Moyes to only a second defeat in his eighth league match back in charge.
But O’Brien’s second-half header made it 15 points from a possible 24 since Moyes returned to the hot-seat.
The Toffees could have won it as well, had in-form striker Beto not come out on the wrong side of his personal duel with Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken. Beto, with five goals in his last four league matches, should have scored at least one more before half-time, first when Bees defender Ethan Pinnock slipped as he tried to deal with a long ball.
Beto went through one-on-one with Flekken, but his shot was blocked by the Bees keeper. Moments later a Charly Alcaraz header sent Beto through once more, but again Flekken was out quickly to make another fine save.
An injury to Alcaraz halted Everton’s momentum, and in the subsequent stoppage time Brentford struck. When Schade’s throw bounced in the Everton penalty area, Bryan Mbeumo’s header came back off the crossbar and Wissa was first to react to nod in the rebound.
After the break Wissa had the ball in the net again only to be flagged offside.
Everton equalised in the 76th minute a the ball was worked to Vitalii Mykolenko on the corner of the area.
Mykolenko launched a high cross to the far post where O’Brien lost his marker Paris Maghoma and dived forward to plant his header past Flekken.
Beto had another late chance to win it for the visitors, but he was foiled once again by Flekken as the Bees clung on for a point.
Erling Haaland scored his 20th Premier League goal of the season as Manchester City got their push for Champions League qualification back on track with a 1-0 victory at Tottenham.
City dominated the ball in the opening stages and it seemed only a matter of time before they would breach Spurs’ back-line.
Jeremy Doku received the ball out wide and after the Belgium international showed great feet to get a yard of space on Pedro Porro, his guided pass was met by the unmarked Haaland who found the bottom-left corner for 1-0.
Doku then stood the full-back up once again and used his weaker left foot to find the unmarked Savinho at the back post, with City’s opposite winger scuffing the chance for a second goal over the crossbar.
Lucas Bergvall was Tottenham’s shining light in the second half with the teenager’s immense dribbling ability beating City’s press prior to their best chance of the evening.
After the Swede dragged his side up the pitch, Porro was released down the right and his perfect cross was touched wide by the unmarked Wilson Odobert as a huge chance went begging at Ederson’s far post.
A series of poor attempts from January loan signing Mathys Tel let the visitors off the hook before Spurs ubstitute Son Heung-min was denied by a quick-thinking Ederson, who got down low to keep City’s clean sheet intact late on.
City were denied a second during four added minutes after Haaland was deemed to have handled the ball before scoring before Pape Sarr’s skied header from six yards meant City held on.
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