Premier League

TEMPERS boiled over towards the end of Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brentford at the Emirates this afternoon.A late challenge by Bees star Christian Norgaard on Oleksandr Zinchenko sparked a shoving match, with Eddie Nketiah also unhappy with rough challenges on him.
Tempers boiled over late on between Arsenal and Brentford starsCredit: Reuters
Mikel Arteta protests to the fourth officialCredit: Reuters
Nketiah and Norgaard had to be separated, with Thomas Partey, Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben White also involved in the incident.
Mikel Arteta, who has received criticism for his touchline antics this season, showed his fury.
The Spaniard repeatedly remonstrated with the fourth official during the match.
He then berated referee Peter Bankes at full-time.
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Arsenal had taken the lead on 66 minutes via new boy Leandro Trossard.
But the in-form Bees hit back just eight minutes later, with Ivan Toney levelling for Thomas Frank’s men.
The goal came from a Brentford set-piece, which was eventually worked to Toney by Norgaard.
It was subject to a lengthy VAR check but was eventually allowed to stand, much to Arsenal’s ire.
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The draw sees Brentford go ten games unbeaten in the Premier League, while handing Manchester City the opportunity to gain some ground on Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola’s side will move to within three points of the Gunners if they beat Aston Villa at the Etihad tomorrow afternoon.
The two sides then meet at the Emirates on Wednesday night in a huge title clash.
Arsenal were unhappy with Brentford’s physicalityCredit: AP More

IVAN TONEY reprised his role as pantomime villain to throw the title race wide open.Now that Troy Deeney is no longer plying his trade in the Premier League, Toney has emerged as the player Arsenal fans hate more than any other.
Leandro Trossard put Arsenal ahead from close rangeCredit: Getty
It was Trossard’s first goal for the GunnersCredit: AFP
Ivan Toney nodded Brentford levelCredit: Reuters
The Bees showed their support for loanee Sergi Canos, who lost his mother in the weekCredit: Reuters
Toney celebrates with Bees boss Thomas Frank after blowing the title race wide openCredit: Reuters
They have never forgiven the Brentford striker for his “nice kickabout with the boys” social media post after Arsenal had been battered into submission on the opening day of last season.
And now they have even more reason to dislike the controversial centre-forward after his 74th-minute equaliser handed Manchester City the opportunity to cut Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table to just three points.
And with Pep Guardiola’s champions due at the Emirates on Wednesday night, Arsenal’s sudden loss of form could not have come at a worse time for boss Mikel Arteta.
The table-topping Gunners thought they had done enough to keep themselves on track when Leandro Trossard climbed off the bench to fire them into a 67th-minute lead.
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But that lead only lasted for seven minutes before a game of head tennis in Aaron Ramsdale’s six-yard box ended with Toney nodding in from close range.
It means Arsenal have failed to win any of their last three games and are suddenly starting to look as though they might be running out of steam.
Arteta has selected the same team so many times this season that he must be able to do it with his eyes closed  by now.
Seven of his players have started every Premier League game this season and skipper Martin Odegaard has only missed one.
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But that predictably could be making it easier for opponents to plan ways of stopping them in their tracks.
Only last week lowly Everton had doubled up on Arsenal’s wingers, flooded the midfield and targeted Arsenal on the counter and with high balls into their box.
And now Arteta must be wondering if it is time to make some changes after seeing his team left frustrated by the same tactics yesterday.
Not that Bees boss Thomas Frank was making any apologies after watching his team extend their unbeaten run to ten games and ruining Arsenal’s hopes of winning an eighth successive London derby match this season.
In fact, Arsenal are the only one of the traditional Big Six to actually beat Brentford this season, a fact which was highlighted by Arteta to his players ahead of this game.
For Frank’s team have a well-deserved reputation as masters of the art of disrupting the established order and are now dreaming of European qualification for the first time in their history.
And if Arsenal needed any reminder of the threat posed to their own lofty ambitions, it arrived as early as the fifth minute when Toney fired a delicious cross into the danger zone for Rico Henry to fire wide.
Arteta was hoping that the days of his team being regarded as a soft touch were well and truly behind them despite last week’s shock defeat at Everton.
Toney, though, had other ideas and should have fired his team into a 25th minute lead after muscling his way through Thomas Partey’s half-hearted challenge on the edge of the area.
But with the goal at his mercy following a sharp exchange of passes with Bryan Mbeumo, he struck his shot against the bar when he probably should have scored.
Another glorious opportunity went begging when Ben Mee’s close-range header struck team-mate Kristoffer Ajer from a 30th-minute corner before Toney stung the palms of Ramsdale with a sharp shot on the turn.
Arsenal, despite totally dominating possession, were struggling to mount any sustained threat to the Brentford goal.
Bukayo Saka got a shot off under pressure from Henry which hit keeper David Raya square in the chest and Gabriel Martinelli volleyed just over from Granit Xhaka’s lay-off just before the break.
But it was the visitors who would have been the happier with their first-half’s work as the first murmurs of dissent rumbled around the ground.
It was clear that Arsenal were going to have to up their intensity if they were going to break a Brentford defence which had dug in ready to withstand any goalmouth siege.
But it was only when Trossard replaced the flagging Martinelli in the 61st minute that they looked capable of taking the victory they so desperately wanted.
The Belgian international had only been on the pitch for a matter of minutes when he stole in unattended at the back post to convert Saka’s inviting ball across the face of goal.
It was his first goal since last month’s £27million move from Brighton and one which briefly promised to be worth its weight in gold.
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But Brentford simply refused to accept their fate and the more Arsenal were pushed back into their own area, the less convincing they looked.
So it was almost inevitable when Toney stuck in the knife before celebrating by holding up a shirt with the message “we are all with you Sergi” for team-mate Sergi Canos, whose mother recently passed away.
Tensions boiled over in the closing stages of the gameCredit: Reuters
Arsenal are now winless in their last three games in all competitionsCredit: Reuters More

THE last thing you need after gallbladder surgery is a kick in the guts – but that’s exactly what Antonio Conte got.And the most painful thing of all for the Spurs boss, back on the touchline after his two-game absence?
James Maddison scored in Leicester’s superb win over TottenhamCredit: Getty
Rodrigo Bentancur had given Tottenham an early leadCredit: Getty
Nampalys Mendy levelled with a stunning strikeCredit: Reuters
Maddison gave Leicester a quick-fire leadCredit: Alamy
Kelechi Iheanacho added another before the breakCredit: Reuters
It was basically delivered by his own men, with a performance so pitiful they should have carried white flags to go with their white shirts.
They were shoddy, they were shocking and they were shameful… and all that after being a goal to the good inside five minutes as well.
Yes, Leicester were imposing and impressive. And true, their finishing was as crisp and clinical as you will see.
But to be honest, the Red Lion second XI could have stuck a couple past such a slapstick Spurs outfit.
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Woeful doesn’t even come close, as Nampalys Mendy, James Maddison, Kelechi Iheanacho and Harvey Barnes helped themselves to goals.
By rights it should have been more, as well. Had Barnes not strayed a big toenail offside, he’d have had another for a start.
How ironic, then, that the first defensive slip had been by the men in blue shirts, not white, on a crazy afternoon.
Rodrigo Bentancur, the one Spurs man to play anything like his best before he limped off midway through the second half, scored it after two quickfire Ivan Perisic corners.
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Harvey Barnes added a fourth to cap a superb team displayCredit: Getty
The first flicked off centre back Harry Souttar, cannoned into Victor Kristiansen and flew over, but Leicester weren’t so lucky from the second.
Again Perisic delivered, again it glanced off a head – this time team-mate Ben Davies – and again it found Kristiansen.
The Danish defender’s right boot was facing the right way to clear, but the ball skewed back across goal and Bentancur couldn’t miss as he prodded in from bang in front.
Mind you, against such an inept shower as this Spurs lot, Leicester had little to worry about.
As we all discovered when the game turned on its head with two goals inside three manic minutes.
As with the Spurs opener, the first stemmed from a flicked-on corner, Timothy Castagne rising highest to meet Maddison’s delivery.
Bentancur was on the spot to head off the line as it looped over Fraser Forster. Stays of execution don’t come much briefer.
For as the ball rolled to Mendy on the right angle of the box, he unleashed an absolute rocket which flew into the top corner.
Bentancur was forced off with an injury in the second halfCredit: Reuters
Forster would have done well to reach it had he been in the ideal position. Yet when the keeper swayed to the left to get a clear sight of the ball, he never had a prayer.
Not the most auspicious moment for the giant keeper. And not the best of omens for Spurs, who will rely on him for seven or eight weeks as Hugo Lloris recovers from a damaged knee.
Having said that, Forster didn’t exactly get the best protection from his pals. Spurs were like footballing traffic cops, all but directing their opponents towards goal.
And with Tottenham still reeling from Mendy’s mega-strike, they were carved open again. Initially, it should be said, after a tackle from Wout Faes that was as brave as it was brilliant.
The Belgian was already on a yellow card, so his thundering challenge to rob Harry Kane on halfway had to be spot on or he was off. It was, and arrowed to Kelechi Iheanacho.
He had all the time in the world to slip it to Maddison, free on the left of the box, and the Foxes star slipped it under Forster.
On the touchline Conte spun round to face his assistant Christian Stellini, arms outstretched in a “what the f*** is going on” gesture. Anybody’s guess, was the answer.
Surely they would learn from their clangers, if nothing else. Yet it’s Spurs we are talking about here, so what do you think?
Spurs boss Antonio Conte looked gutted on the sidelinesCredit: Reuters
Exactly… and bang on half-time their backline went from blundering to all but non-existent, as they were carved open for a third time.
All it took was one long ball down the middle from Souttar which picked out Iheanacho, albeit still close to 40 yards from goal.
Yet no-one came to challenge, Eric Dier backed off and backed off… and Iheanacho waited his moment to curl a low shot into the bottom corner.
The Nigerian looked almost bemused with his arms-outstretched, stroll-away celebration. It was that easy for him, and that woeful from Spurs.
Forster saved some face by blocking a strike from Barnes, who had a field day against Pedro Porro down the left, before his disallowed effort.
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But third time lucky and all that… and nine minutes from the end Barnes produced a carbon copy of Iheanacho’s earlier strike to find the corner.
Nurse, the oxygen mask please… Mr Conte appears to be feeling very faint. More

IVAN TONEY and Brentford paid tribute to Sergi Canos after their goal against Arsenal today.Bees icon Canos, 26, left England for a loan move to Olympiacos last month.
Brentford paid tribute to Sergi Canos after Ivan Toney’s equaliser against ArsenalCredit: Reuters
Toney scored in the 74th minute before holding aloft a shirt dedicated to CanosCredit: Reuters
But the Spaniard was left heartbroken this week when his mother sadly passed away.
Canos is a fan favourite in west London after guiding Brentford to the big time in 2021.
And teammates were quick to pay tribute when Toney equalised for the Bees in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal.
The striker fired home with just 15 minutes remaining at the Emirates.
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Toney celebrated his 14th goal of the season as he ran towards the Brentford bench.
And the star was then given a shirt by pals that bore the message “We’re all with you Sergi”, which he proudly displayed to the cameras and crowd.
Brentford also tweeted after the match: “In our thoughts, @sergicanos.”
Canos himself replied to the message “You are” with a heartbroken and sad face emoji.
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He then added: “THANK YOU.”
The tribute went down well with fans as one said: “Good gesture from Ivan Toney paying tribute to Sergi Canos’ Mom who passed on recently Lovely!”
Another declared: “Sergi Canos, my favourite Brentford player of all time.”
Bees icon Canos lost his mother this week, shortly after a loan move to OlympiacosCredit: PA
One added: “Class act from Ivan Toney.”
Canos, 26, joined Brentford on loan from Liverpool in 2015 and was a smash hit with seven goals in 38 games.
He then had a torrid time in six months at Norwich before joining Brentford permanently in January 2017.
Canos went on to score 36 goals in 249 games for the Bees.
But injuries limited him to just five appearances this season.
And with his contract expiring this summer, the tough decision was made to loan Canos out to Olympiacos.
He still has a clause to extend his deal until 2024.
But Canos’ farewell message to fans indicated he will not be back in London next season.
The Spaniard said: “Today is the end of something special.
“Brentford has been and will always be my home. Here I have fulfilled my dreams.
“I still get emotional when I remember the final at Wembley or the night of our debut in the Premier League against Arsenal. These moments will last forever in my heart.
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“I appreciate the love and support my fans have given me on this journey together. It has been an honour to see many kids proud of wearing my name on the back of their shirts.
“I want you to know that here I have been the happiest kid playing football. Wherever I go, I will always be proud to have been a Brentford player.” More

CHELSEA defender Thiago Silva was hilariously mocked by a West Ham mascot in a brilliant exchange before their London derby.The two sets of players were getting ready to line up for the clash on Saturday afternoon when a young Hammer tried to initiate a handshake with the Brazilian centre-back.
A West Ham jokingly mocked Thiago Silva in the tunnelCredit: BT Sport via Twitter
Silva got his own back with a bit of playful behaviourCredit: BT Sport via Twitter
He then proceeded to shake the hands of the other West Ham mascotsCredit: BT Sport via Twitter
Silva, 38, took up the offer as he went in for the handshake, before the West Ham mascot pulled away and mocked him.
But Silva took it superbly as he jokingly taunted the boy back in a lovely moment.
He then shook hands with a couple of the other West Ham mascots before returning to the Chelsea line.
Reacting on social media, one person said: “You can’t help but love Thiago Silva. 💀 He took that well from the mascot 🤣”.
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Another added: “I thought it was great to see it!!!”.
A third replied: “🤣🤣🤣 Cheeky little bubble blower”.
And a fourth responded: “Thiago Silva just got mugged right off by that mascot 😂”.
One former player that could relate to Silva’s mascot interaction is Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.
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The former Reds midfielder was once on the end of the same antics from a Chelsea mascot in 2006 as he was left hanging when attempting a handshake.
Meanwhile, the points ended up being shared between West Ham and Chelsea as Joao Felix’s strike was cancelled out by ex-Blues man Emerson Palmieri.
The visitors thought they should have had a late penalty when a Conor Gallagher shot struck the hand of Tomas Soucek.
But referee Craig Pawson remained unmoved, before VAR controversially stuck with the onfield decision.
A Chelsea mascot mocked Steven Gerrard in a similar way back in 2006 More

CHELSEA fans have jokingly called on the club to sign a flock of pigeons after they invaded the pitch at West Ham.The Blues opened the scoring at the London Stadium before being pegged back before half-time, with the full-time result 1-1.
A flock of pigeons invaded the pitch during West Ham’s draw with ChelseaCredit: PA
Fans joked about the birdsCredit: Reuters
Chelsea were explosive early on but struggled to maintain their performance levels after the break.
And with chances few and far between fans began paying attention to a flock of pigeons.
The birds nestled in a corner of the pitch next to the Chelsea box and mostly remained undisturbed during their spell on the pitch.
They temporarily flew away when the ball neared their territory before returning to the grass.
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One fan joked that they were busier than Marc Cucurella.
They said: “Those pigeons on the pitch at West Ham have got a better heat map than Cucurella.”
Another added: “Wonder if Chelsea can sign those pigeons as a package deal.
“The coordination and nonchalance they have seemed to move around the pitch with…you can’t teach that.”
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And a third said: “Pigeons build more attacks than Chelsea in the pitch.”
Another commented: “Chelsea attacked so little that a flock of pigeons landed on the pitch.” More