Arsenal returned to winning ways in the Premier League with Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Odegaard inspiring a comfortable 3-0 home victory against Nottingham Forest yesterday.
Mikel Arteta’s side desperately needed three points to revive their title hopes after four league games without a win and the result never looked in doubt after Saka’s early opener.
England forward Saka combined with the influential Odegaard to finish in style after 15 minutes and the hosts should have been further ahead before halftime with Forest keeper Matz Sels making several fine saves to keep his side in it.
Forest began the game level on points with Arsenal but their hopes vanished when halftime substitute Thomas Partey doubled Arsenal’s lead with a curled finish in the 52nd minute and substitute Ethan Nwaneri added a late third.
In Saturday’s early kick-off, goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez helped Chelsea to a 2-1 win at Leicester that would have been much more comfortable if Blues winger Noni Madueke had not blocked team mate Cole Palmer’s goalbound shot.
Chelsea dominated their hosts for most of the game but a lack of sharpness in front of goal almost cost them late on as Leicester pulled a goal back through a Jordan Ayew penalty, leading to a nervous final few minutes.
“We played well and we won the game which is the most important thing. The job is done, we have the three points,” defender Wesley Fofana, who joined Chelsea from Leicester in 2022, said.
“We like this pressure, we play for this and to finish at the top. We try to win every game to stay high. It felt great to come back here, two incredible years here,” he added.
Elsewhere, Ross Barkley headed in a late equaliser as Aston Villa salvaged a 2-2 Premier League draw with lowly Crystal Palace on a wet and windy afternoon at Villa Park.
Ismaila Sarr gave Pace an early lead, Ollie Watkins levelled for Villa who then had a penalty from Youri Tielemans saved by Dean Henderson before Justin Devenny restored Palace’s lead in first-half stoppage time.
Barkley grabbed the equaliser in the 77th minute when, with his back to the net, he headed home a corner from close range.
Villa, who have not won in the top flight since September, are seventh in the table on 19 points from 12 games. Palace are 18th on eight points.
Ten-man Brentford meanwhile picked up a first away point of the season following a 0-0 draw with toothless Everton at Goodison Park, as the home side wasted numerous opportunities to score.
Brentford were reduced to 10 men on 41 minutes when midfielder Christian Norgaard lunged at Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and was shown a red card after a Video Assistant Referee review.
Everton had 27 attempts on goal and Brentford keeper Mark Flekken made several superb saves but, with only bottom side Southampton having netted fewer than their 10 goals this campaign, the Merseyside club’s wastefulness in front of goal continues.
Brighton beat Bournemouth 2-1 at the Vitality Stadium with goals from Joao Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma, while the visitors were reduced to ten men when Carlos Baleba was sent off in the second half.
Finally, Matheus Cunha’s superb double earned Wolves a 4-1 comeback victory at Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, extending the visitors’ unbeaten run to four games.
