Published20. April 2024, 11:08 p.m.
Football: Arsenal puts pressure on by taking the lead
The Gunners beat Wolverhampton and temporarily move past Manchester City in the standings.
Leandro Trossard (19) opened the scoring for Arsenal.
AFP
Arsenal, whose momentum was cut recently, bounced back on Saturday with a 2-0 victory at Wolverhampton which brought Mikel Arteta’s team back to the top of the Premier League ahead of Manchester City, exempt from the championship this weekend.
The north London team, seeking a first title since 2004, consolidated its domination at the end of each period under the boot of Leandro Trossard (45th) and Martin Odegaard (95th).
The Belgian winger and the Norwegian captain put the “Gunners” back at the top of the Premier League with a point and a match more than Manchester City, second with 73 units.
The three-time reigning English champions made it through this weekend to play, and win, their “Cup” semi-final on Saturday at Wembley against Chelsea (1-0).
Sunday, Liverpool (3rd, 71 pts) will try to bring back the three points from Fulham to pick up Arsenal, although with a less advantageous goal difference.
The current leader once again took care of his “goal-average” on Saturday at the Molineux stadium, thanks to his impervious defense again (15th match without a goal conceded, the best total) and his clinical attack.
Burnley gives itself some fresh air
Trossard allowed Arsenal to return to the locker room with the advantage on the scoreboard with a superb strike from a post (45th, 1-0).
The Belgian winger’s ninth goal this season in the league was followed, at the very end of the match, by the eighth from captain Odegaard who, although off-centre, took advantage of the small space left between the goalkeeper and his post (90th+ 5, 2-0).
Arsenal put behind them a series of three matches without a win: the double confrontation against Bayern Munich (2-2 then defeat 1-0) in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, interspersed by the 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa in the Premier League.
“There were some tough results and it was tough emotionally, but we had to keep moving forward. Today it was about bouncing back and getting the win, which we did, so I’m happy,” Odegaard commented on Sky Sports.
At the bottom of the table, the penultimate Burnley (19th, 23 pts) gave themselves some air 4-1 at Sheffield United (20th, 16 pts), the red lantern more than ever threatened by a direct return to Championship.
The Clarets of Belgian coach Vincent Kompany are three points behind Nottingham Forest (17th, 26 pts) and four behind Everton (16th, 27 pts), opponents on Sunday at Goodison Park.
This breath of fresh air was made possible in particular by the first goal in the Premier League from Lorenz Assignon (40th, 2-0), the French defender on loan from Rennes, also decisive passer for Lyle Foster (58th, 3-1), 23 years old like him.
Conversely, the current first relegation, Luton (18th, 25 pts), missed the opportunity to leave the red zone, knocked out 5-1 by a Brentford team (14th, 35 pts) now at shelter from a thrilling end of the season.
“For whatever reason we were lethargic today and that can’t happen in the Premier League. They punished us,” summarized coach Rob Edwards to the BBC.
(afp)