Arsenal close gap on Leicester

Defeat Bournemouth 2-0 to move into third, five points off the top

BOURNEMOUTH: Arsenal returned to third place in the Premier League after Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goals ended a four-game winless streak with a 2-0 victory at Bournemouth on Sunday.

Arsenal arrived at Dean Court with their title challenge under threat after a poor run in January, capped by a failure to score in their previous three league matches.

But two goals in a minute midway through the first half were enough to move them back level on points with second-place Tottenham Hotspur, five points behind leaders Leicester City, who visit the Emirates Stadium in seven days’ time.



The progress of neighbours Tottenham has only added to Arsenal’s frustration. But manager Arsene Wenger could be satisfied with the way his side showed signs of the form that took them to the league summit at the turn of the year, with Chamberlain’s first league goal of the season a welcome bonus.

Bournemouth’s recent results showed that Wenger’s side could not afford to take anything for granted, with Eddie Howe’s team unbeaten in their previous three league games, including an impressive mid-week victory at Crystal Palace.

The presence of Benik Afobe in the home line-up also gave the Gunners cause for concern, with the 22-year-old anxious to impress against his former club after revealing his frustration at having never been given a first-team chance at the Emirates Stadium.



However, Arsenal asserted their title credentials with style to close the gap on leaders Leicester.

Klopp surgery, 10,000-strong mutiny leave Reds rocking

Liverpool shrugged off the embarrassing spectacle of over 10,000 protesting fans walking out of Anfield on Saturday as Sunderland battled back for a 2-2 draw.

On the day that coach Jurgen Klopp was forced to miss the match to have his appendix removed, Liverpool suffered more acute pain as they surrendered a two-goal lead just after around a quarter of the 44,000 fans inside the ground stormed out in a row over ticket prices.



The dramatic mutiny took place after 77 minutes in protest at the new ticket price structure at the club once the Main Stand development is finished.

“The players were not affected [by the walkout],” insisted Liverpool’s development coach Pepijn Lijnders who faced the media in Klopp’s absence. “It changed the atmosphere in the stadium but not the group of players.”

The Reds appeared to be cruising towards victory after second-half goals from Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana, but Sunderland fought back magnificently as firstly Adam Johnson and then Jermain Defoe stunned Anfield in the last eight minutes. 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th,  2016.

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