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EPL: Aston Villa 2-4 Arsenal, Newcastle United 0-2 Liverpool, City 1-1 Nottingham, See other results


Arsenal secured a dramatic stoppage-time win thanks to Emiliano Martinez's own goal against his former club. Bukayo Saka and Oleksandr Zinchenko equalised twice. Gabriel Martinelli added late goal.
EPL: Aston Villa 2-4 Arsenal, Newcastle United 0-2 Liverpool, City 1-1 Nottingham, See other results



Arsenal ended their winless run in dramatic fashion as they came from behind to beat Aston Villa 4-2 at Villa Park and move top of the Premier League table. 

The Gunners were level going into stoppage time but Jorginho's strike came back off the crossbar and deflected off Emiliano Martinez into the net to spark wild celebrations, before substitute Gabriel Martinelli capped the comeback with a fourth on the breakaway.

Villa led twice in the first half through Ollie Watkins and Philippe Coutinho but Mikel Arteta's team showed their fighting spirit to level it twice through Bukayo Saka and then - just after the hour - Oleksandr Zinchenko. But the drama was still to come.

Aaron Ramsdale tipped Leon Bailey's drive against the frame of the goal and Arsenal capitalised on that escape very late on. The result moved them two points clear at the top with a game in hand over Manchester City after the champions could only draw 1-1 at Nottingham Forest. 

Player ratings

Aston Villa Martinez (5), Cash (6), Konsa (5), Mings (6), Moreno (5), Kamara (7), Luiz (6), Buendia (7), McGinn (7), Coutinho (7), Watkins (7). 

Subs: Ramsey (6), Bailey (6), Dendoncker (6), Duran (6), Digne (6). 

Arsenal: Ramsdale (8), White (8), Saliba (6), Gabriel (6), Zinchenko (8), Jorginho (8), Xhaka (6), Saka (7), Odegaard (7), Trossard (6), Nketiah (6). 

Subs: Martinelli (7), Tomiyasu (6), Vieira (7), Tierney (n/a), Holding (n/a). 

Player of the match: Jorginho.


Manchester City 1-1 Nottingham

Bernardo Silva scored a superb first-half opener and substitute Chris Wood netted a late equaliser. Man City lost ground on Arsenal in the Premier League title race - with the Gunners beating Aston Villa earlier in the day

Manchester City lost ground on fellow Premier League title challengers Arsenal after being held to a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest as Chris Wood's late leveller cancelled out Bernardo Silva's sublime opener.

A moment of solo brilliance from Silva in the 41st minute looked to be sending City back to the summit, but for an impressive second-half resurgence from Steve Cooper's side, who converted their only shot on target with six minutes remaining.

Earlier in the day, Arsenal were forced to come from behind twice to beat Aston Villa, usurping City in the race for the title, and the Gunners now hold a two-point advantage at the top with a game in hand.

Erling Haaland, attempting to respond to recent claims he is not the correct fit for City's style of play, struck the crossbar before blasting the resulting rebound aimlessly over in the second half, as the wasteful visitors couldn't turn their dominance into anything more than a solitary point.

How big these two dropped points will be in the race for the Premier League crown remains to be seen, with Pep Guardiola admitting he was "sad and disappointed" not to have capitalised on significant momentum in the game.

Forest are now unbeaten in eight home league encounters, winning half of those - their best home unbeaten run in the top-flight since 1996. "We sacrificed ideals," manager Steve Cooper said after the game. "We gave up what we usually want to do in games of football but it's a positive result," he summarised.

Team news

Nottingham Forest: Steve Cooper changed five from last week's 2-0 defeat to Fulham - Felipe and Jonjo Shelvey made home debuts while Joe Worrall was reinstated at the back.

Man City: Phil Foden and Aymeric Laporte came in for Riyad Mahrez and Nathan Ake respectivley. 


OptaStats: 

Manchester City's Jack Grealish has been directly involved in six goals (2 goals, 4 assists) in the Premier League since the conclusion of the World Cup. Grealish had one goal and no assists in eight league appearances this season prior to the World Cup break.

Morgan Gibbs-White has assisted five goals this season for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, more than twice as many as any teammate.

Bernardo Silva has scored 32 goals in the Premier League for Manchester City; three of his last four goals in the competition have been scored from outside the box, with only three of his first 28 coming from distance.



Newcastle United 0-2 Liverpool. 

Liverpool win back-to-back games to open up the race for top four. Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo handed Liverpool a first-half lead before Nick Pope was sent off for a handball outside the box. Liverpool have played a game fewer than Newcastle.

Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo scored as Liverpool closed the gap on fourth to six points with a 2-0 win over 10-player Newcastle at St James' Park on Saturday Night Football.

Liverpool were put under the cosh by the hosts early on but quickly went 2-0 up against the run of play with goals from Nunez (10) and Gakpo (17).

Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope was then sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity with a handball outside his box (22). The England international will now miss next Sunday's Carabao Cup final.

Undeterred by going a player down, Newcastle continued to look the most dangerous as Alisson kept out Allan Saint-Maximin's left-foot strike with some help from the bar before Dan Burn and Fabian Schar missed gilt-edged chances with their heads from set-pieces either side of the break.

There was a minute's applause before the game for former Newcastle forward Christian Atsu, who was found dead on Saturday morning in the rubble of his home following the earthquake in Turkey which took place nearly a fortnight ago.

Liverpool have now done the double over Newcastle this season - and remain the only team to have beaten them in the Premier League - as they move up to eighth. The Magpies, meanwhile, are now on a four-game winless run in the league ahead of a huge game at Wembley against Man Utd.

Team news

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe made one change from the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth, giving Elliot Anderson his first Premier League start.

He replaced Joe Willock, who missed out after suffering a hamstring injury.

Liverpool defender Virigil van Dijk started for the fist time since January 2 after recovering from a hamstring injury.

He was Liverpool's only change from the 2-0 win over Everton, coming in for Joel Matip in defence.

The game unravelled for Newcastle after that as Pope was sent off for a deliberate handball to deny Salah a goalscoring opportunity, becoming the first goalkeeper in Premier League history to concede twice and receive a red card inside 22 minutes.

SEE OTHER RESULTS
EPL: Aston Villa 2-4 Arsenal, Newcastle United 0-2 Liverpool, City 1-1 Nottingham, See other results

 

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