Arsenal on Wednesday came from behind to beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 and reignite their English Premier League title challenge, while Alexander Isak fired Newcastle United into the top four.
Elsewhere, David Moyes endured a miserable return to the Everton dugout, watching his toothless side lose 1-0 to Aston Villa at Goodison Park.
Arsenal’s victory at the Emirates lifts them four points behind Liverpool, who drew 1-1 with Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, and ends a winless run of three matches in all competitions.
Photo: AFP
Son Heung-min gave Spurs the lead in the 25th minute, but the hosts were level 15 minutes later when Gabriel’s header from a corner rebounded off Dominic Solanke for an own-goal.
The turnaround was complete just before halftime when Leandro Trossard blasted home across new Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.
Arsenal squandered a series of chances to increase their lead and breathed a sigh of relief when Pedro Porro hit the post deep into stoppage-time.
Photo: Reuters
Mikel Arteta’s team are now on 43 points after 21 matches, four points behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
The Arsenal manager said that his team were “outstanding.”
“We had some big chances and big situations. At the end we had to suffer more than we wanted,” Arteta told the BBC. “When you have opportunities [to close the gap] you have to take them. We are on a really consistent run in the Premier League. It’s about recovery tomorrow and Aston Villa on Saturday, going and going.”
The defeat was another bitter blow for injury-ravaged Tottenham, who have now taken just five points from a possible 27 over their past nine Premier League games and have slumped to 13th in the table.
“Nowhere near good enough, especially in the first half. We were too passive,” Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou said.
Red-hot Isak found the net for the eighth league match in a row in a 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers as Newcastle leapfrogged faltering Chelsea into fourth spot.
The Sweden international put the hosts ahead in the 34th minute when his shot took a huge deflection off Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri, leaving Jose Sa wrong-footed.
Isak doubled Newcastle’s lead shortly before the hour mark, controlling Bruno Guimaraes’ pass before firing home for his 15th league goal of the season. Anthony Gordon added a third.
“I feel amazing,” said Isak, who has Jamie Vardy’s record of scoring in 11 straight Premier League games in his sights. “Individually, I feel free and confident, but looking at the team we are doing so well as well, defending and with threats going forward. It is a team and I have to keep contributing with goals.”
Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins broke the deadlock at Goodison Park in the 51st minute, slotting past England teammate Jordan Pickford after he was sent clear by Morgan Rogers.
Everton huffed and puffed, but showed a lack of creativity — unsurprising for a team who have scored just 15 league goals in their 20 matches this season.
The result lifts Unai Emery’s Villa to seventh in the table, but Everton remain in deep trouble, just one point above the relegation zone in 16th place.
The club’s new owners, The Friedkin Group, sacked Sean Dyche last week and brought back 61-year-old Moyes, who enjoyed success during an 11-year stint at Goodison Park from 2002 to 2013, but the Toffees, ever-present in the top flight since 1954, have battled relegation for the past three seasons and are once again in deep trouble.
“Obviously, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” Moyes said. “Sean Dyche left a group of players that have great character and a great attitude. I’m really pleased to take over that. What I need to do is add quality and find a way of getting results, but you can’t change the whole thing around straight away.”
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City suffered their sixth straight league defeat, losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace to leave the Foxes second-from-bottom.
Jean-Philippe Mateta put the visitors ahead early in the second half and Marc Guehi made the points safe with a late second.
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