Nottingham equalized and crossed against Manchester City, Arsenal turned around and won over Aston Villa – while reclaiming the league lead.
Arsenal and Manchester City are the teams that have stayed at the top of the Premier League this winter. When the teams met on Wednesday in north London, visiting City won, taking over the league lead thanks to better goal difference.
A few days later, Arsenal is back in pole position.
But they were in a bad mood away in Birmingham on Saturday afternoon. The “Gunners” were behind at the break and when the match went into stoppage time, a point loss was in the air.
Oleksander Zintjenko had equalized at 2-2 after just over an hour, and in stoppage time there was a discharge from the visitors. The lead was scored as a killer own goal from goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, after Jorginho’s cross was deflected off the Argentinian’s head.
– In the first half, we did the basics wrong. In others, we stepped up and did the basics right, sums up Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta for the BBC.
Martinez is criticized – by his own coach
Stoppage time would offer another away goal. Martinez got onto a Villa corner at the end, but it all resulted in Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli countering with a fourth ball.
Aston Villa coach Unai Emery didn’t like the way the World Cup’s best goalkeeper thought at all.
– Today I am very, very disappointed.
– I am ashamed of the last goal. I have never told my goalkeeper to go up on a corner. That’s not how you do it, says Emery.
Guardiola in good spirits despite losing points
Later on Saturday, the Gunners could state that they had regained first place. Bernardo Silva gave Manchester City the lead with a first-half long-range shot against newcomers Nottingham, but the game ended 1-1 after a late equalizer from the home side’s Chris Wood.
New goalkeeper star in Nottingham, Keylor Navas, played big. In the City attack, Erling Haaland did not have his best day at work.
Despite the drop in points, Pep Guardiola was pleased. The City coach went so far as to call the day’s performance one of the best efforts of the season.
– We did really well. We had great chances, but this is football sometimes.
Today’s big bottom line still came at Stamford Bridge. Midfielder Chelsea coach Graham Potter has continued to have a lot to think about after being held to a clean sheet against Southampton.
Chelsea captain César Azpilicueta received a blow to the head and was treated for a long time on the pitch.
Image: IMAGO/Colorsport/All Over Press
Chelsea FC
Jumbo won thanks to a free-kick finish by James Ward-Prowse just before the break. Southampton were playing under interim manager Ruben Selles after sacking their second manager of the season.
– We like him, he has brought a calmness to the team, says Ward-Prowse.
