Leandro Trossard takes a shot during Arsenal's 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, a result that saw the Gunners miss an opportunity to close the gap on league leaders
Liverpool. Meanwhile, Chelsea’s struggles continued, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Crystal Palace.
Liverpool, set to face Manchester United at home on Sunday, could extend its lead to eight points at the top of the table, with a game in hand.
Defending champions Manchester City began the new year on a positive note, securing back-to-back victories. Pep Guardiola’s men seem to be rediscovering their form, while Newcastle United edged closer to the top four with a narrow win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal miss chance to Ccose the gap
After a difficult autumn, Arsenal looked poised to mount a serious challenge against Liverpool. A win at Brighton would have reduced the gap at the summit to just three points. Teen sensation Ethan Nwaneri’s early goal gave Arsenal the lead and put them on track for a fourth consecutive league win.
However, Brighton struck back in the second half. Joao Pedro equalized from the penalty spot after a collision with Arsenal defender William Saliba. Despite Arsenal's bright start, they had to settle for a draw, leaving them five points adrift of Liverpool with 40 points from 20 games.
Reflecting on the result, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted his team didn’t do enough: "We’re playing every three days. I understand the desire to win, but we lacked quality and consistency in the key moments today."
The 17-year-old Nwaneri continued to impress, stepping up in the absence of injured star Bukayo Saka. He opened the scoring with a composed finish in the 16th minute, marking his second Premier League start with a goal. But Brighton, currently 10th, fought hard and could have taken all three points, having drawn six of their last eight matches.
Chelsea falters again
Chelsea’s pre-holiday momentum seems to have faded, with the club managing just two points from its last four games. Against Crystal Palace, Cole Palmer’s first-half goal gave Chelsea the lead, but they failed to capitalize, allowing Jean-Philippe Mateta to level late in the game.
Chelsea now sits fourth in the table with 36 points, one behind third-placed Nottingham Forest, who play Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday.
Man City finds form
After a difficult spell with just one win in nine games, Manchester City has turned things around, winning their last two matches. Erling Haaland was back to his best, scoring twice in a 4-1 rout of West Ham United at the Etihad. City remains sixth, 11 points behind Liverpool.
An upbeat Guardiola said after the match: "I am so happy and will sleep better until the next game."
Newcastle’s rise continues
Newcastle extended their winning streak to five games with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a depleted Tottenham side. Despite falling behind early to a Dominic Solanke goal, Newcastle equalized just two minutes later through Anthony Gordon. Alexander Isak netted the winner before halftime, continuing his hot streak with goals in seven consecutive games.
Newcastle is now fifth with 35 points, just one point shy of Chelsea, while Tottenham’s poor form continues, leaving them 12th in the league. Their current six-game winless run at home is their longest since 2008.
Elsewhere in the League
Bournemouth’s push for European qualification gained momentum with a narrow 1-0 victory over Everton. Meanwhile, Aston Villa edged out Leicester City 2-1, handing the Foxes their fifth consecutive defeat. Leon Bailey’s late goal sealed the win for Villa.
Brentford recorded their biggest Premier League victory, thrashing Southampton 5-0 away. Bryan Mbeumo scored twice as Brentford climbed into the top half of the table, while Southampton remains rooted to the bottom. Photo by Arsenal mjh at English Wikipedia.