Philippa Kaur

ARSENAL have to settle for a point after a thrilling 2-2 with Aston Villa.Gabriel Martinelli broke the deadlock on 35 minutes despite Emiliano Martinez’s best efforts to stop the ball from crossing the line.After half-time, Kai Havertz ended his poor run in front of goal with a close-range finish to make it 2-0.But Arsenal’s two-goal advantage didn’t last long as Youri Tielemans headed home for 2-1.And things went from bad to worse for the Gunners after Ollie Watkins slammed home a stunning equaliser on 68 minutes.Match result: Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaArsenal team: Raya, Partey, Timber, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Odegaard, Merino, Trossard, Martinelli, HavertzAston Villa team: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Onana, Kamara, Rogers, Tielemans, Ramsey WatkinsCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSFollow our live blog below…Match reportIf this is the night when Arsenal’s title hopes died, then Ollie Watkins has been their gravedigger again.But the death sentence might have been passed by Stockley Park.With less than two minutes to go the Emirate erupted as Mikel Merino’s hopeful effort from the edge of the box took a big deflection to find its way past Emi Martinez and put Mikel Arteta’s men back ahead in a game they had tossed away.Yet Merino, pointedly, did not celebrate.He knew what Jon Brooks in the VAR booth near Heathrow was going to tell ref Chris Kavanagh – that the final, vital touch to deceive Martinez had come, albeit accidentally, off Kai Havertz’ right arm.The referee had no choice but to disallow the goal – and while Merino hit the post in added time, there was to be no reprieve.Copy linkCopied’Formula’Opta report that Arsenal have scored more goals than any other Premier League side from CROSSES this season.And Trossard’s assist double both came from crosses – only the second time in the league that’s happened this season.They tweeted from OptaJoe: “Arsenal have scored more goals from crosses than any other team in the Premier League this season (11), while Leandro Trossard is one of only two players to assist 2+ goals via crosses in a game this season (also Damsgaard v Wolves in October). Formula.”Copy linkCopiedUp nextBoth sides turn their attention to Champions League duty in midweek.Then it’s back to league business next weekend with very winnable games, with the Gunners at Wolves and Villa hosting West Ham.Copy linkCopied’Disappointing day’Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli says his side need to improve for upcoming games after their second half collapse.He told Sky Sports: “It’s a disappointing day. We wanted to win the game, but we have to keep going.”We trust in ourselves, and we have to keep going and improving – it is a long journey to go. We have to focus on ourselves.”That’s football, that’s the Premier League, the most difficult league in the world. We have to see the game and see what we have done wrong and improve for the next games.”We know our qualities and we know the potential we have and we trust in ourselves.”Copy linkCopiedYouri not kiddingYouri Tielemans reckons Aston Villa were well worth their point.He told the BBC: “From our point of view [a good result] is always deserved. We take the point and move forward. They had many chances but we defended with our bodies on the line. “2-2 is a good result for us. First half we had a couple of counters, misplaced passes from me which could have put Ollie Watkins in.”We fought really well to come back into the game.”Copy linkCopiedForward ratingsLEANDRO TROSSARD – 8: Deflected effort was comfortable for Martinez but his superb cross made life much harder for the Villa keeper to tee up Martinez for the opener before blazing over himself. The Belgian racked up his fifth Prem assist of the season in the second half for Havertz.GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 8: Threatened at the far post early on, but got his rewards from the same position in the 35th minute with a stabbed effort ahead of Maatsen.KAI HAVERTZ – 8: Again, lack of decent service left him living off scraps, but when he got a scrap he fired an effort straight at Martinez from close range. The German more than made up for it after the break with a clinical finish, even if Martinez should have done better. That will do wonders for his confidence.Copy linkCopiedMidfielder ratingsMIKEL MERINO – 6: A workman-like performance – won his duels and worked his socks off, but the small details were missing, shanking a good chance well wide in the first half. He then lost his marker to allow Tielemans to head in and make it 2-1. Could have won it at the end with a scuffed effort in off Havertz that VAR chalked off and smacked the post too.DECLAN RICE – 7: Integral to everything good about Arsenal and came close with a long-range punt in the second half.MARTIN ODEGAARD – 6: A solid display but he is really missing his partner in crime in Saka. He created as much as he could but sometimes needs to be more selfish to drag his team over the line.Copy linkCopiedPlayer ratingsHere’s how SunSport’s Jordan Davies scored the Gunners players tonight, starting with the defenders:DAVID RAYA – 6: Let down by those in front of him for both goals, a duo of close range efforts he had no chance with.MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY – 8: With performances like this, he is suddenly the first name on the team sheet for Arteta. So calm and composed for someone so young, and his strength against bigger opposition is scary at times.GABRIEL – 7: Made a crucial tackle one-on-one with Watkins and another block from a speedy counterJURRIEN TIMBER – 7: Alert to foil counters against the pace of Watkins and coped well in general. It is not his fault that he doesn’t have the defensive presence of Saliba.Copy linkCopiedThe damageHere’s how the top of the Premier League table looks after today’s results.Liverpool started the day four points clear with a game in hand – they’re now SIX clear with that game in hand still.Nottingham Forest with the chance to move level on points with Arsenal if they beat Southampton at home tomorrow.The battle for top four looks set to be a good one too!Copy linkCopiedFT: Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaThis place, around the stadium was bouncing at 4.45pm when it looked like Liverpool were dropping points.Incredibly, Arsenal go to bed tonight even further behind Liverpool in the title race.To watch Liverpool score two in stoppage time would’ve been bad enough.To then bottle a 2-0 lead is unforgivable in most circumstances. After today’s events probably moreso.Just one win from their last five games now too….Copy linkCopiedFULL TIMEHugely damaging, costly COLLAPSE from Arsenal. Boos at the whistle too.Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaCopy linkCopied90+7 – Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaOdegaard’s delivery is abysmal. High, lofty and straight into the arms of Martinez.Not great from him or the set piece coach.Copy linkCopied90+7 – Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaHere he comes – the set piece coach is front and centre!Arsenal have a free kick, 15 yards from the Villa byline on the right. Odegaard will send it in in-swinging.Copy linkCopied90+6 – Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaWHAT A CHANCE FOR TROSSARD!!!Ohhh Arsenal and their fans can’t believe it. Arteta is almost on his knees, HE can’t believe it.Trossard looks to have broken the offside trap with a clever pass through to him on the left. It’s just Martinez to beat on his left foot and he drags his shot a foot wide of the far post. Agony!Copy linkCopied90+5 – Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaNow Rogers is booked for stopping Arsenal taking their throw-in quickly.Copy linkCopied90+4 – Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaSterling in comfortable possession gives the ball away at the edge of the Villa box.It’s to Jhon Duran and Villa have nobody to hit but they get out of trouble when Sterling swipes him from behind to give the free kick away.Sterling is booked for it too.Copy linkCopied90+2 – Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaUp the other end now and Villa work it well to get Youri Tielemans on it at the edge of the box.He drags his shot just wide and it looks like Raya may well got a touch. Not so, according to the referee as Arsenal get the goal kick.Copy linkCopied90 – Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaSEVEN MINUTES ADDED!Copy linkCopied90 – Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaNothing comes of the corner as a foul is given to Villa in the middle.Copy linkCopied90 – Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaMERINO HITS THE POST!Pinball inside the box as Merino gets space in the box and fires it off the post. It bounces around and is kept alive, worked to Trossard on the left at an angle and he fires low and hard at goal and Martinez scrambles across to keep it out.Now Trossard is cheerleader to gee the home crowd up as they win a corner.Copy linkCopied88 – Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaMerino has a strike from the edge of the box heading towards goal and it hits Kai Havertz on the way through.It wrong foots Martinez and ends up in the far corner.The first replay shows it quite clearly hits his arm on the way in. He’s pointing to his side but unfortunately for him, there’s replays involved in football that show he’s not telling the truth.The home support boo as the replay is shown but not quite sure why.Copy linkCopiedSCRATCH THAT…NO GOAL – VAR RULES IT OUT FOR HANDBALL!Copy linkCopiedTHEY’RE BACK IN FRONT!Copy linkCopied86– Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaClose for Aston Villa!It’s a rapid counter attack led by Rogers who bursts through the middle of the park unchallenged.He works it to Bailey on the right edge of the area and as Arsenal try to block the cross, it’s laid back to Bogarde who strikes low and hard through the bodies and Raya just manages to keep it out.Copy linkCopied83 – Arsenal 2-2 Aston VillaAaaand another change for Aston Villa.All a bit stop-start at the minute, just as Villa want it at the minute.OFF: Jacob RamseyON: Leon BaileyCopy linkCopied More

BOURNEMOUTH smashed Newcastle with Justin Kluivert scoring a brilliant hat-trick in the first game of the day.The standout 3pm match sees Premier League leaders Liverpool head to the capital to take on Brentford.There are two other games with West Ham facing Crystal Palace and Leicester hosting Fulham.Later, Arsenal go head-to-head with Aston Villa in this weekend’s blockbuster clash.Kick off times: 12.30pm/3pm/5.30pm GMT48 – GOAL!! Leicester 0-1 FULHAMEMILE SMITH ROWE opens the scoring after a couple of minutes of the second half!Copy linkCopied48 – GOAL!! West Ham 0-1 CRYSTAL PALACEThe first goal in the 3pm games and it’s JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA!Copy linkCopiedSecond half!Back under way then for the second 45 minutes.These six teams have left us waiting for some goal action but there’s going to be PLENTY coming in this second half.My prediction: 7 goals will arrive across the three games.Copy linkCopiedJust nothingDean Henderson would be as well sitting watching this beside me.The Fabianski save from Mateta was a fantastic one but in truth not much else outwith that, particularly the Hammers not forcing a save yet.It has to be better after the break, right?Copy linkCopiedGraham Hill at the King PowerRuud van Nistelrooy will be pleased to go into the break on level terms. Leicester have threatened on occasions, but it will only need one lapse at the back and Fulham will be in control.Victor Kristiansen should have done better after carving out space but slicing his shot wide.Fulham went close through Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey before the break. But if Leicester want to stop the rot, they need to find the net – something they have struggled with recently.Copy linkCopiedDan King at the Gtech Community StadiumIt’s nervy one, this, now. The home fans are getting restless because of the number of chances their team is giving up and the sense that Liverpool will surely score at some point. But the longer the visitors dominate without breaking the deadlock, the more their own fears, and those of their supporters will grow, that it is going to be another one of those days. The Reds had nine corners in the half but have not made any of them count like they did at Forest last Tuesday night. Copy linkCopiedHalf time scoresThe three Premier League scores at half time:Brentford 0-0 LiverpoolLeicester 0-0 FulhamWest Ham vs Crystal PalaceCopy linkCopiedHALF TIME! Leicester 0-0 FulhamAnd it’s a copy and paste job. Fulham dominant at the break but chances at either end. No goals.Copy linkCopiedHALF TIME! Brentford 0-0 LiverpoolLiverpool knocking at the door but as of yet unable to break it down.Goalless at the Gtech.Copy linkCopiedHALF TIME! West Ham 0-0 Crystal PalaceNot too much to discuss there.Copy linkCopiedChances amissChris Sutton tells BBC Radio 5 Live: “Liverpool cannot keep passing up opportunities like they are. Brilliant work, devastating on the counter.”Mark Flekken does brilliant to narrow the angle but Cody Gakpo’s effort is tame and weak.”How many chances are Liverpool going to waste?”Copy linkCopied39 – Brentford 0-0 LiverpoolGakpo is picked out excellently by Salah as Liverpool counter.Flekken rushes off his line and Gakpo manages to get it past him – using his heel it looks like – but it just rolls harmlessly wide.Let-off for the Bees.Copy linkCopiedOn top?How is this game still goalless?Liverpool with eight corners and 12 shots on goal after just less than 40 minutes on the clock. Just the three of those on target, though.They’ve had the bulk of the possession too but Brentford look really dangerous going forward.Copy linkCopied35 – Brentford 0-0 LiverpoolSZOBOSZLAI HITS THE BAR!What a hit and what a stunning goal this would’ve been.Szoboszlai allowed to take his time to line it up, take a couple of touches to set himself 25 yards from goal, on the right of centre and he smashes a shot which beats Flekken but flicks the crossbar on the way by and away over to safety.So close to a bit of magicCopy linkCopiedJack Rosser at the London StadiumIt is freezing at the London Stadium and the football has done nothing to distract anyone from that fact.The play and atmosphere are both flat as anything. West Ham again are moving the ball with a bit more pace than they did under Julen Lopetegui.But with just Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta as they’re attacking options chances are hard to come by.Copy linkCopiedDan King at the Gtech Community StadiumA strangely subdued atmosphere at the Gtech. It’s been a decent game, though. The duel between Bryan Mbeumo and Kostas Tsimikas is going to be crucial. The Greek picked up an early booking for tugging back Brentford’s main man and now the home side are trying to isolate him against Mbeumo as often as possible. Liverpool are lacking authority at both ends of the pitch with Luis Diaz fluffing a chance. The first goal is very important in this one.Copy linkCopiedGraham Hill at the King PowerIt’s looking even between the sides at the moment, but you can sense Fulham know Leicester have a fragile defence and can always concede.Jamie Vardy caused some early problems for Fulham. The 38-year-old showed he still has a devastating turn of pace and his cross into the box almost forced former Foxes defender Timothy Castagne to put through his own goal – only a Bernd Leno save spared his blushes.Fulham look a threat going forward and Harry Wilson set up Emile Smith-Rowe who curled his shot just wide.Copy linkCopied26 – West Ham 0-0 Crystal PalaceMichael Dawson told Soccer Saturday: “Yeah pretty dull, nil-nil.”That’s him being kind…Copy linkCopied22 – West Ham 0-0 Crystal PalaceJust a couple of shots at goal from either side as they’ve cancelled each other out at present.Mateta gets in down the right and forces a very good save from Fabianski who pushes it away at full stretch.Edson Alvarez then tries his luck from distance but can’t beat a cluster of players in front of him.Copy linkCopiedThat Damsgaard miss…A picture never really does the game justice, admittedly.But the video footage is even worse than this miss looks still. Not entirely sure how they’re not in front, Brentford.Copy linkCopiedPremier League latest scoresAround 18 minutes in across the top flight…Brentford 0-0 LiverpoolLeicester 0-0 FulhamWest Ham vs Crystal PalaceCopy linkCopied4 – Brentford 0-0 LiverpoolWHAT A CHANCE for Damsgaard!Liverpool started strongly and had a corner inside 90 seconds which came to nothing – but they should be behind.Roerslev slides a terrific ball across goal and Damsgaard looks to have a tap-in, into an empty net, but just misses it altogether!Copy linkCopiedThe view at the King Power Stadium of Graham HillIt’s a huge game for Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy as he looks to avoid a SEVENTH straight league defeat.Ironically, a Foxes win would take them out of the bottom three due to their rivals’ recent struggles.Leicester fans have been taking out their frustrations on director of football Jon Rudkin, so it’ll be interesting to see which direction that heads.There is no place for new signing Woyo Coulibaly who signed from Parma in midweek – but the paperwork to allow the French full-back to play here was not completed in time for him to have enough training sessions.Fulham will look to bounce back after their 3-2 defeat at West Ham.Copy linkCopiedThe view of SunSport’s Jack Rosser watching West Ham vs Crystal Palace at the London StadiumGraham Potter made a fantastic start to life at the London Stadium with a thrilling win over Fulham in his first home game in charge on Tuesday night.The new Hammers boss would certainly like things to be a little easier than that 3-2 win, and has moved to a back three to try and match up Crystal Palace.Given how thin they are up top, Lucas Paqueta’s form will be key. He was impressive in midweek but has struggled for consistency for far too long now.Copy linkCopiedKICK-OFF!No better time in the week than 3pm on a Saturday!And the three Premier League games are all under way. All the talking points to come….Copy linkCopied More