Premier League
Own goal helps Arsenal win at Palace in Premier League opener
Arsenal battled to beat Crystal Palace 2-0 on Friday as the new Premier League season got underway, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring the first goal before home defender Marc Guehi turned the ball into his own net late on at Selhurst Park.
Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus, who arrived from Manchester City in the close season, looked set to get off to a flying start by dancing through the Palace defence only to see his shot blocked, with Martinelli dragging the rebound wide of the post.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, another new signing from City, also looked lively and had an early shot blocked as Arsenal quickly raised the tempo but the Ukrainian soon had a hand in the opening goal as Palace were caught flat-footed at a corner.
Bukayo Saka’s inswinger found Zinchenko in acres of space and he headed the ball back across goal where Martinelli was on hand t nod it into the net.
Palace could have levelled before the break as Odsonne Edouard headed goalwards, but visiting goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale pulled off a superb reflex save to preserve his side’s lead
The hosts wasted another great chance to draw level after the break when Wilfried Zaha sliced open the Arsenal defence with a perfect pass but again Ramsdale was quick to react, getting out to block Eberechi Eze’s shot.
After guiding his side to a fifth-place finish last term, Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta looked worried as they became increasingly ragged in the second half but, aside from Zaha, the Palace attack looked out of sync.
Sensing they might snatch a draw, Palace coach Patrick Viera threw everyone forward for the last 15 minutes but the visitors doubled their lead when Saka’s cross was deflected into his own goal by Guehi in the 85th to seal the points for the away side.
“We started really sharp … to win here you need to suffer,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “We’ve done it and that’s part of the mentality that we want to build, to come to these places and find a way to win,”
French defender William Saliba was outstanding for Arsenal as he finally made his debut after three years spent on loan at different clubs in France.
“We knew it would be hard here but we were strong and solid,” the 21-year-old said. “I’ve waited a long time to make my debut and I’m happy to start with a clean sheet and a win, it’s important for confidence.”
-Reuters
Premier League
Arsenal defeat ‘accident waiting to happen’ after card – Arteta
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side’s defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday was “an accident waiting to happen” after William Saliba was sent off in the first half.
Bournemouth won 2-0 thanks to goals from Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert after Saliba was shown a red card for a challenge on Evanilson after 30 minutes as Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the campaign.
It is the third time this season Arsenal have been forced to finish a match with 10 players, leaving Arteta frustrated that his side’s lack of discipline cost them points.
“We are obviously very disappointed with the result and gutted because we have to play again in that context,” he said. “This time was even more difficult than the previous two we faced this season.
“Playing for 65 or 68 minutes with 10 men at this level is just an impossible task. It’s an accident waiting to happen, not to get the points.
“I cannot fault the team for their effort, their commitment, how intelligent they are to play in the way that we have to do it.”
Declan Rice was sent off in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at home to Brighton earlier in the season, while Leandro Trossard was also shown red in the 2-2 draw against title rivals Manchester City.
Arsenal host Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday.
-ESPN
Premier League
Joe Aribo’s goal not enough to Southampton’s suffering
Joe Aribo scored a goal for Southampton on Saturday,but it was not enough to curb the club’s miserable run as they succumbed to a last-minute defeat by Leicester who snatched victory by 3-2.
Leicester scored three second-half goals to come from behind and stun 10-player Southampton, denying them a first Premier League win of the season.
The result means Saints have set a club record for the longest winless run in their entire top-flight history, having failed to emerge victorious from any of their last 21 Premier League encounters.
Inside five minutes, Joe Aribo had crashed a header onto the crossbar and inside seven minutes, the hosts had taken the lead. Kyle Walker-Peters led the charge after a quick free-kick and dropped the ball off to Ryan Manning, who squared for Cameron Archer to coolly slot in and send a wave of both relief and belief around St Mary’s.
Premier League
Leicester fight back to clinch 3-2 win and extend Southampton’s suffering
Jordan Ayew scored in the 98th minute as Leicester staged a second-half comeback to earn a 3-2 win at Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday, with the 10-man hosts setting a club record of 21 matches without victory in the English top-flight.
Leicester moved up to 13th in the standings with nine points from eight matches, while Southampton fell to 20th – level on points with Wolverhampton Wanderers, who face champions Manchester City on Sunday
“It’s just unbelievable, that’s why we play football. We didn’t have a good first half,” Ayew told Sky Sports.
“Second half we got ourselves back together and attacked the game properly. It’s just an unbelievable feeling.
“It’s a good step forward to move up the table. We’re going to continue fighting and it’s not going to be easy so well done the lads and everyone.”
Having failed to win in their last 13 matches in the 2022-23 season when they were relegated, Southampton are without a win in the Premier League since they beat Leicester in the same fixture in March 2023.
Southampton shot out of the blocks and took the lead in the eighth minute when Ryan Manning squared for Cameron Archer to finish a sweeping counter-attack, before midfielder Joe Aribo added to their tally with a side-footed effort.
Leicester defender Wout Faes nearly scored a spectacular own-goal five minutes into the second half by sending a diving header straight at his own keeper Mads Hermansen, who spared the Belgian’s blushes with a deft save.
The visitors grew into the contest in the second half and created some half-chances before pulling one back in the 64th minute.
Buonanotte turned in a cross after a driving run from substitute Abdul Fatawu and the goal signalled the beginning of Southampton’s unravelling.
Minutes later, Vardy was denied on the line by an excellent Aaron Ramsdale save, but Leicester were awarded a penalty after a VAR review found that the forward was held back by Ryan Fraser.
Fraser was sent off and Vardy stepped up, blasting his effort past Ramsdale to equalise.
Leicester smelled blood and pushed forward in their quest for a winner, which came deep into stoppage time when Ayew’s low shot went through a sea of bodies and crept into the bottom corner, breaking the hearts of home fans at St Mary’s Stadium.
-Reuters
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