Arsenal slips up in Premier League title race after Nunez rescues win for Liverpool

Arsenal slipped up within the Premier League title race on Saturday, squandering a two-goal lead to attract with Aston Villa after Liverpool beat Brentford because of a stoppage-time double from Darwin Nunez.

Liverpool’s 2-0 win may hardly have been clinched any later, with Nunez — the oft-derided Uruguay striker — scoring within the first and third minutes of added-on time to make sure the leaders averted a 3rd straight draw.

Taking part in a few hours later and trying to restore the four-point hole, second-placed Arsenal took a 2-0 lead by targets by Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz however ended up drawing 2-2. Ollie Watkins grabbed the equalizer for Villa to harm the title probabilities of the staff he grew up supporting.

On what may show to be a major day within the title race, Liverpool moved right into a six-point lead and nonetheless has a recreation in hand on Arsenal.

Nunez has final chuckle

Nunez was taunted by Brentford’s followers after happening instead within the sixty fifth minute, and wasted a giant probability earlier than turning residence a cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold to provide Liverpool the lead.

Nunez then completed off a counterattack two minutes later to safe a primary victory in three league video games for Liverpool, which drew with Manchester United and Nottingham Forest both aspect of a loss to Tottenham within the first leg of the English League Cup semifinals.

Liverpool has nonetheless misplaced just one league recreation all season, at residence to Forest in September. The Reds had 37 photographs towards Brentford and scored with their closing two.

“We have been near not getting what we deserved,” Liverpool supervisor Arne Slot stated.

Nunez, who is usually criticized for wasteful ending, doubled his tally of league targets for the season.

“Darwin did rather well, not solely with the targets however together with his perspective and the way in which he fights for each ball,” Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker stated.

“You’ll be able to say he doesn’t rating an excessive amount of this season, however he’s working onerous on daily basis.”

Arsenal collapses with out injured Saliba

Arsenal has already dropped 12 factors from successful positions this season and couldn’t maintain on towards Villa with out injured defensive lynchpin William Saliba.

It was the primary time since 2019 that Arsenal didn’t win at residence within the Premier League when being two targets clear, with Youri Tielemans after which Watkins changing crosses that may in any other case have been cleared by Saliba.

Arsenal seemed like snatching a win when Mikel Merino’s shot deflected into the web off Havertz within the 87th minute however the purpose was disallowed after a video evaluation noticed the ball struck the arm of Havertz.

Liverpool’s energy in depth in assault would possibly show the distinction in its title tussle with Arsenal.

Nunez is Liverpool’s fifth-choice ahead however got here up with two essential targets. With out the injured Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, Arsenal had no goal-scorer to name upon from the bench and couldn’t discover a winner regardless of late strain.

Kluivert’s second hat trick

Justin Kluivert scored his second hat trick of the season within the league to encourage Bournemouth to 4-1 at Newcastle, whose nine-match successful run in all competitions got here to an finish emphatically.

The Dutch midfielder netted within the sixth, forty fourth and second-half stoppage time at St. James’ Park. Milos Kerkez added the fourth purpose within the sixth minute of added-on time.

Bruno Guimaraes equalized for fourth-placed Newcastle.

Kluivert, whose father is former Netherlands striker Patrick Kluivert, additionally scored three targets towards Wolverhampton in November. In that match, all of Kluivert’s targets have been penalties, however he scored from open play every time towards Newcastle.

Six of Newcastle’s 9 straight victories got here within the league, serving to to carry the Saudi-controlled staff into the highest 4 in its bid to return to the Champions League.

Newcastle striker Alexander Isak failed to attain, having beforehand netted in eight league video games in a row. That left him three video games wanting Leicester striker Jamie Vardy’s document for the longest scoring run in Premier League historical past.

Van Nistelrooy beneath strain

Subsequent-to-last Leicester misplaced a seventh straight recreation within the league, 2-0 to Fulham, to pile the strain on not too long ago employed supervisor Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The previous Manchester United and Actual Madrid striker, who’s in solely his second senior teaching position, has received simply one in every of his 9 league video games in cost — the primary towards West Ham on Dec. 3.

“We weren’t adequate in all facets,” Van Nistelrooy stated. “That is the primary recreation I’ve felt like this.”

Emile Smith Rowe and Adama Traore scored for Fulham.

Crystal Palace received at West Ham 2-0 thanks to 2 second-half targets by Jean-Philippe Mateta.

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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer