ARSENAL’S win over Liverpool made the title race even tighter – and gave further evidence that the extra added time being played across the Premier League might prove decisive.
While Leandro Trossard’s 92nd minute strike only confirmed the destination of the points, it was the ninth goal the Gunners have scored in stoppage time this season.
More critically, Trossard’s strike through Allison’s legs represented the eighth time Mikel Arteta’s side have found the net AFTER the 90th minute of games this term.
The two goal flurry from Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus against Manchester United in September and Rice’s last-gasp header at Luton in December have added four vital points to Arsenal’s tally.
Despite conceding at the Emirates, and their even later defeat at Spurs, Liverpool have picked up five points in second half stoppage time, for the same net score of plus four points as Arsenal.
But Manchester City may live to rue the late goals they conceded against Crystal Palace, Spurs and Chelsea, which cost them six points, even if Oscar Bobb’s stoppage time winner at Newcastle clawed two back.
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Indeed, second half stoppage time has cost Pep Guardiola’s men more points than any other team in the Prem so far, with Nottingham Forest, who have let three points slip through their fingers, next on the list.
The goals are part of a pattern this season, with 63 scored after the 90th minute mark and 88 in added time across both halves.
With referees following new International FA Board guidelines, Prem clubs have played a total of 2,656 minutes and 24 seconds of added time this season, at an average of 11 minutes and 42 seconds per game.
Tottenham’s last-gasp concession against Everton on Saturday was the 10th stoppage time goal Ange Postecoglou’s side have conceded, with eight of them coming in the second half.
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Goals conceded against Everton and Wolves have cost them five points.
But they “won” six points with the stoppage time comeback win against Sheffield United, the 96th minute own goal winner against Liverpool and Dejan Kulusevski’s equalising header at Manchester City.
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That saw a total of 16 added time goals in Spurs’ 23 games, with six netted by Postecoglou’s men.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, they have also played more extra time than any other team so far this season, with more than 316 additional minutes played at an average of 13 minutes and 45 seconds per game.
That is almost exactly 100 minutes more than London rivals West Ham have played across the season to date.
Manchester United have been the prime beneficiaries of added time, with seven points grasped after the 90th minute – the wins against Brentford, when they trailed as added time began, Fulham and Wolves – and that point dropped at Arsenal.
Luton, with just over 219 minutes, have played the second lowest amount of added time.
Although that does not include the 67 minutes played before their game at Bournemouth was abandoned because of the collapse suffered by skipper Tom Lockyer.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
