Arsenal slipped up within the Premier League title race on Saturday, squandering a two-goal lead to attract with Aston Villa after Liverpool beat Brentford because of a stoppage-time double from Darwin Nunez.
Liverpool’s 2-0 win might hardly have been clinched any later, with Nunez — the oft-derided Uruguay striker — scoring within the first and third minutes of added-on time to make sure the leaders prevented a 3rd straight draw.
Taking part in a few hours later and seeking to restore the four-point hole, second-placed Arsenal took a 2-0 lead by way of objectives by Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz however ended up drawing 2-2. Ollie Watkins grabbed the equalizer for Villa to harm the title possibilities of the workforce he grew up supporting.
On what might show to be a big day within the title race, Liverpool moved right into a six-point lead and nonetheless has a sport in hand on Arsenal.
Nunez has final chuckle
Nunez was taunted by Brentford’s followers after occurring in its place within the sixty fifth minute, and wasted a giant probability earlier than turning house a cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold to offer Liverpool the lead.
Nunez then completed off a counterattack two minutes later to safe a primary victory in three league video games for Liverpool, which drew with Manchester United and Nottingham Forest both facet of a loss to Tottenham within the first leg of the English League Cup semifinals.
Liverpool has nonetheless misplaced just one league sport all season, at house to Forest in September. The Reds had 37 pictures in opposition to Brentford and scored with their ultimate two.
“We have been near not getting what we deserved,” Liverpool supervisor Arne Slot stated.
Nunez, who is typically criticized for wasteful ending, doubled his tally of league objectives for the season.
“Darwin did rather well, not solely with the objectives however along with his angle and the best way he fights for each ball,” Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker stated.
“You’ll be able to say he doesn’t rating an excessive amount of this season, however he’s working exhausting day by day.”
Arsenal collapses with out injured Saliba
Arsenal has already dropped 12 factors from profitable positions this season and couldn’t maintain on in opposition to Villa with out injured defensive lynchpin William Saliba.
It was the primary time since 2019 that Arsenal didn’t win at house within the Premier League when being two objectives clear, with Youri Tielemans after which Watkins changing crosses which may in any other case have been cleared by Saliba.
Arsenal seemed like snatching a win when Mikel Merino’s shot deflected into the web off Havertz within the 87th minute however the aim was disallowed after a video overview noticed the ball struck the arm of Havertz.
Liverpool’s power in depth in assault may show the distinction in its title tussle with Arsenal.
Nunez is Liverpool’s fifth-choice ahead however got here up with two essential objectives. With out the injured Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, Arsenal had no goal-scorer to name upon from the bench and couldn’t discover a winner regardless of late stress.
Kluivert’s second hat trick
Justin Kluivert scored his second hat trick of the season within the league to encourage Bournemouth to 4-1 at Newcastle, whose nine-match profitable run in all competitions got here to an finish emphatically.
The Dutch midfielder netted within the sixth, forty fourth and second-half stoppage time at St. James’ Park. Milos Kerkez added the fourth aim within the sixth minute of added-on time.
Bruno Guimaraes equalized for fourth-placed Newcastle.
Kluivert, whose father is former Netherlands striker Patrick Kluivert, additionally scored three objectives in opposition to Wolverhampton in November. In that match, all of Kluivert’s objectives have been penalties, however he scored from open play every time in opposition to Newcastle.
Six of Newcastle’s 9 straight victories got here within the league, serving to to raise the Saudi-controlled workforce into the highest 4 in its bid to return to the Champions League.
Newcastle striker Alexander Isak failed to attain, having beforehand netted in eight league video games in a row. That left him three video games wanting Leicester striker Jamie Vardy’s file for the longest scoring run in Premier League historical past.
Van Nistelrooy beneath stress
Subsequent-to-last Leicester misplaced a seventh straight sport within the league, 2-0 to Fulham, to pile the stress on not too long ago employed supervisor Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The previous Manchester United and Actual Madrid striker, who’s in solely his second senior teaching function, has gained simply one in every of his 9 league video games in cost — the primary in opposition to West Ham on Dec. 3.
“We weren’t adequate in all facets,” Van Nistelrooy stated. “That is the primary sport I’ve felt like this.”
Emile Smith Rowe and Adama Traore scored for Fulham.
Crystal Palace gained at West Ham 2-0 thanks to 2 second-half objectives by Jean-Philippe Mateta.
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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer