Premier League
Arsenal miss chance to go six points clear with draw at Brentford
Arsenal wasted the chance to restore their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Brentford on Thursday, with Noni Madueke’s second-half header cancelled out by Keane Lewis-Potter.
The hosts were the better side in the first half but could not take advantage of a nervy Arsenal start, with goalkeeper David Raya forced to make a sharp save from Igor Thiago.
Arsenal took the lead in the 61st minute through Madueke, who soared above Rico Henry and nodded Piero Hincapie’s ball back across goal and into the net.
Brentford deservedly levelled 10 minutes later, however, when Michael Kayode’s long throw was flicked to the back post where Lewis-Potter sent a thunderous header into the top corner.
The draw was a fair result and lifted Arsenal on to 57 points from 26 games, four ahead of Manchester City.
Brentford are seventh on 40 points, four behind fifth-placed Chelsea and remain on course to qualify for European football for the first time.
Their coach Keith Andrew told reporters: “I’m not going to speak about that. There are 12 games left, but I do promise you we are going to attack every single one of them … to see how much we can achieve this year.”
GUNNERS FIGHT BACK FROM NERVY START
Arsenal had followed a mini-wobble of two points from three games with back-to-back league wins, though Manchester City’s 3-0 victory at Fulham on Wednesday kept the pressure on.
The Gunners started shakily in the absence of defender William Saliba as Gabriel needlessly conceded a corner before Raya almost let a backpass squirm under his foot and over the line.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta gave Eberechi Eze a first league start in 2026, but the England forward was anonymous and replaced at halftime by captain Martin Odegaard.
The visitors were better after the break and went ahead when Brentford were unable to clear their lines, Hincapie’s cross turned in by Madueke past the flat-footed Caoimhin Kelleher.
Arsenal could have been out of sight when Declan Rice laid the ball on a plate for Viktor Gyokeres, but he was denied by Kayode’s last-ditch tackle.
Brentford equalised from Kayode’s throw-in, and Lewis-Potter’s goal shifted the momentum.
Thiago could have snatched victory late on but Cristhian Mosquera made a superb tackle. Kelleher then saved from Gabriel Martinelli one-on-one in a breathless end to the game.
Having briefly been nine points clear before Manchester City came from behind to beat Liverpool last weekend, Arsenal’s lead now stands at four points but Arteta insisted his side’s approach would not change.
“We have to do our job and we are going to have to come to all these places, the same as the rest of the teams, and we know how tough it is,” he told TNT Sports.
“You have to be at your best every game and have the luck that you need as well in games to conquer the three points each week.”
-Reuters
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Nigerian international defenders Ola Aina and striker Taiwo Awoniyi will play under yet another manager at Nottingham Forest after the club confirmed the dismissal of Sean Dyche following Wednesday night’s goalless Premier League draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Nottingham Forest announced in the early hours of Thursday that Dyche had been relieved of his duties after just 114 days in charge.
“Nottingham Forest Football Club can confirm that Sean Dyche has been relieved of his duties as head coach,” the club said in a statement. “We would like to thank Sean and his staff for their efforts during their time at the club, and we wish them the best of luck for the future.”
The 54-year-old, who joined the club in October on a contract running until the summer of 2027, becomes the third manager to be sacked by Forest this season. He follows the exits of Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou, underlining a turbulent campaign at the City Ground.
Forest currently sit 17th in the Premier League table, just one place above the relegation zone, after a three-game winless streak. With 12 matches remaining, the club remains locked in a tense battle to preserve its top-flight status.
Dyche’s final match in charge proved frustrating, as Forest failed to score despite registering 35 attempts in the stalemate against Wolves. Speaking after the game, the former Burnley boss appeared philosophical about his future.
“The owner (Evangelos Marinakis) has been fair to me, without a shadow of a doubt,” Dyche said. “If the owner wants to make a change, then that’s up to him, and that’s the way football is now — that’s the reality of it.”
For Aina and Awoniyi, the managerial change adds another layer of uncertainty in what has already been an unstable season. The Nigerian duo have had to adapt to different tactical systems and technical approaches under three separate coaches.
Postecoglou’s brief 39-day spell made him the shortest-serving permanent Premier League manager to be dismissed mid-season, and Dyche’s exit continues the pattern of instability.
Forest are now expected to appoint a fourth manager before next Thursday’s Europa League first-leg clash against Fenerbahce, as they seek stability both domestically and in Europe.
For Nigeria’s Aina and Awoniyi, the focus will now shift to maintaining form amid uncertainty, as Forest’s survival fight enters a decisive phase.
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Crystal Palace ended a nine-game winless run in the Premier League in the best manner possible as they beat rivals Brighton and Hove Albion 1-0 away on Sunday.
Ismaila Sarr scored the only goal on the south coast, ending an hour of tedium when he lifted a shot over Bart Verbruggen to break the deadlock.
It was Palace’s first effort on target.
Victory eased Palace’s relegation worries as they leap-frogged Brighton into 13th place with 32 points, nine points above the drop zone.
“It was a relief. We can talk and analyse but you can never replace a win,” Palace manager Oliver Glasner said.
“We deserved it at the end, we couldn’t expect to play our best football but we were very compact and aggressive.
“Everyone did their job.”
-Reuters
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- Summary
- Gyokeres nets double in Arsenal win over Sunderland
- Caretaker boss Carrick stays perfect with Man Utd
- High-flying Aston Villa stumble at Bournemouth
- West Ham earn vital win in battle to avoid relegation
Arsenal marched nine points clear in the Premier League title race as Viktor Gyokeres hit two goals in a 3-0 victory over Sunderland on Saturday as Manchester United made it four wins out of four for coach Michael Carrick in their top-four push.
Third-placed Aston Villa dropped further behind Arsenal as they drew 1-1 with Bournemouth while Chelsea’s Cole Palmer bagged a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory at bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers, including two penalties.
Eighteenth-placed West Ham United earned three vital points in their bid to avoid relegation, Crysencio Summerville and Taty Castellanos sealing a 2-0 win at second-from-bottom Burnley whose survival hopes now look remote.
Everton scored two late goals as they came from behind to win 2-1 at Fulham, the win lifting them to eighth.
The celebrations at the final whistle at The Emirates were loud and long as joyous Arsenal fans displayed their belief that a first title since 2004 is now in sight.
Sunderland proved a tough nut to crack but Arsenal remained patient and were rewarded with a fourth successive victory in all competitions.
Arsenal dominated the first half at The Emirates but had to wait until the 42nd minute to get ahead when Martin Zubimendi’s sweetly-struck low drive crept inside the post.
Gyokeres has struggled at times during his first season in north London since his move from Sporting, but he swept in a clinical finish in the 66th minute to make it 2-0.
Gabriel Martinelli then played in the Swede for his second deep into stoppage time.
No Premier League player has scored more goals across all competitions since the turn of the year than Gyokeres (six) and Arteta praised the Swedish striker’s resilience.
“He doesn’t seem too affected by the real highs or the lows and that’s what we need – stability. He’s very demanding of himself. He’s constantly trying to improve,” Arteta said.
Arsenal have 56 points from 25 games with Manchester City, who face Liverpool away on Sunday, on 47 from 24. Villa also have 47 points but their challenge is fading.
ROMERO SENDING OFF HELPS MAN UTD
Manchester United are on 44 points after their 2-0 home win against Tottenham Hotspur, who played three quarters of the game with 10 men after captain Cristian Romero was sent off for a tackle on Casemiro.
Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur – Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain – February 7, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur’s Souza in action with Manchester United’s Amad Diallo REUTERS/Phil Noble
Bryan Mbeumo put United in front 10 minutes after Romero’s dismissal, applying the final touch to a clever corner routine involving Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo.
Fernandes wrapped up the points in the 81st minute.
While caretaker manager Carrick’s resurgent United are well-placed for a return to the Champions League, Tottenham are slipping too close to the relegation zone for comfort after their run without a league win extended to seven.
They have 29 points in 14th place, six ahead of West Ham, who are in the last relegation place.
Villa, who could have gone second, took the lead in the 22nd minute at Bournemouth when Morgan Rogers linked up with Jadon Sancho before powering a shot high into the net.
The hosts earned their 10th league draw of the season, though, as Brazilian teenager Rayan scored his first goal in English football.
Chelsea’s Palmer became the first player in Premier League history to score three hat-tricks in the first half of a match, having also done it against Everton and Brighton and Hove Albion.
He now also has more Premier League hat-tricks than any other Chelsea player, after grabbing a fourth.
Palmer put Chelsea ahead from the spot in the 13th minute after a foul on Joao Pedro and repeated the trick in the 35th minute after another foul on the same teammate.
Palmer’s hat-trick came as he fired home from Marc Cucurella’s pass. New manager Liam Rosenior has now won four successive league games with his side bouncing back from their League Cup semi-final defeat by Arsenal on Tuesday.
Chelsea are fifth with 43 points, four points above champions Liverpool in sixth.
In the late game, Brentford’s Dango Ouattara struck in the 85th-minute for a 3-2 victory at Newcastle United in a see-saw contest, with the win moving Keith Andrews’ side up to seventh.
At the bottom, Wolves and Burnley look doomed to relegation with eight and 15 points respectively, but West Ham are now only three points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.
-Reuters
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