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Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea Football Club (The FA via Getty Images)

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion LIVE: Premier League latest score, goals and updates from fixture

September 29, 2024

by araf123 with No Comment Uncategorized

Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea Football Club (The FA via Getty Images)

Follow live coverage as Chelsea face Brighton & Hove Albion today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.

The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola’s side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United’s latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year – yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.

Meanwhile, it’s Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:

Chelsea FC 4 – 2 Brighton & Hove Albion FC

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

17:02

A sensational four-goal display from Palmer – who truly could have had more – powers Chelsea past Brighton 4-2 at Stamford Bridge. Despite starting the match the better of the two sides and taking a lead within seven minutes, Hurzeler’s side were then taken apart by an incredible solo performance by Palmer, who became the first player in Premier League history to find the back of the net four times in the opening half of a game. The pick of the bunch was a free-kick from 30 yards out – his third of the day – giving Verbruggen absolutely no chance by putting it right in the top corner. Sanchez gifted Baleba a goal late in the opening period to leave the Seagulls down by two at the interval, but they were unable to get any closer, with Maresca’s side organised at the back, giving their opponents few opportunities to test Sanchez. Both Palmer and Jackson could have added to the hosts’ tally in the second half, but manful defending from Dunk prevented an even greater margin of victory. Chelsea win with an xG of 3.19 ahead of matches this week against Gent and Nottingham Forest in the Europa Conference League and Premier League respectively, while Brighton fall to their first defeat of the year after an output of just 1.05 xG and host Tottenham in eight days. That concludes our commentary of the Premier League fixture between Chelsea and Brighton – we hope you’ve enjoyed it!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

17:02

FULL-TIME: CHELSEA 4-2 BRIGHTON

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

17:00

Palmer and Nkunku work a short-corner routine that looks to trouble the Brighton defence, but it’s smartly worked all the way back to Sanchez from the flag, with Chelsea looking to see out the 4-2 victory.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:58

The fourth official indicates five minutes will be added to the end of the match for stoppages.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:58

Veiga manages to push the ball off the foot of Minteh, with Enciso quick to latch upon it – firing a hurried strike from a long way out that sails high over Sanchez’s crossbar.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:57

Dunk has attempted 100 passes in this game; it’s the third time this season that a Brightonplayer has attempted 100 or more in a single match in the Premier League and more than any other player in this game (ahead of Baleba – 50 passes).

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:55

It looks to be job done for Chelsea, who have less than five minutes to hold on for a third-consecutive Premier League win. Results around the grounds mean that Maresca’s side currently sit in second place – one point behind Manchester City – as things stand, while Liverpool and Aston Villa still have the chance to jump them in the table later this weekend.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:52

Estupinan manages to get into the penalty area near the byline after a Chelsea giveaway in their defensive third, but the left-back has his pocket picked by Gusto, who times his challenge well before winning a throw-in to sap a bit more time off the clock.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:49

Minteh cuts inside from the right and sends a skipping cross into the penalty area for Ferguson, but the striker doesn’t gamble on the delivery, allowing Sanchez to get there first.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:45

Lavia is introduced for just his third Premier League appearance for Chelsea, with the booked Fernandez protected with 11 minutes to go.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:45

Substitution Daniel Nii Tackie Mensah Welbeck Evan Joe Ferguson

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:45

Jackson is recalled to the bench with an assist – but not a goal – to his name. Nkunku gets a chance to add to his personal tally, after a hat-trick performance against Barrow in the League Cup on Tuesday.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:45

Fofana commits to a late sliding challenge on Enciso, catching the Brighton substitute just outside the penalty area. It’s a free-kick for the visitors, while the Chelsea defender is shown a yellow card.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:44

Brighton are one of four sides still unbeaten in the Premier League this season coming into this weekend’s games, though their last three have all been drawn (two total wins). They’ve never gone unbeaten in their first six games from the start of a top-flight campaign before.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:43

With a quarter-hour left to go in the game, Brighton have not threatened enough in the second half to convince Chelsea they are capable of the comeback. After nine shots and an xG of 0.86 in the first period of play, Hurzeler’s side have only managed three off-target efforts and an expected goals of just 0.05, despite maintaining more than 50 per cent possession before and after the restart.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:40

Chelsea won both Premier League meetings with Brighton last season, despite having a player sent off in each game. It’s one of just two occasions a team has won consecutive meetings with an opponent despite going down to 10 men (also Middlesbrough against Sunderland in 2002), while the Blues have never had a player sent off in three-consecutive meetings with an opponent.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:36

Substitution Georginio Lucius Rutter Yankuba Minteh Moat

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:36

Substitution Ferdi Erenay Kadıoğlu Julio César Enciso Espínola

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:35

Substitution Jadon Malik Sancho Mykhailo Mudryk

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:35

CUCURELLA SCORES BUT IT WON’T COUNT! Sancho’s inswinging corner is flicked on at the near post by Neto, with the ball dropping kindly to Cucurella inside the six-yard box. The left-back does well to control the ball before whacking it past Verbruggen with a raised boot, but it won’t count after an offside in the build up!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:35

Substitution Marc Cucurella Saseta Renato Palma Veiga

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:33

Jackson breaks into the penalty area after a wonderful disguised pass from Palmer and looks to beat the goalkeeper from a close-range left-footed effort, but Dunk slides across and manages to divert the effort wide for a corner.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:33

Julio makes an enterprising run through the middle of the pitch before spreading play out to the right for Rutter. The winger slips a pass into the penalty area for the overlapping Ayari, who goes down after a tangle of legs with Cucurella. The referee is in a good position to spot the incident and allows play to continue, which infuriates the Brighton forwards.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:31

Chelsea make their first change of the contest – sending on even more firepower – with Neto taking over from Madueke on the right wing.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:31

Hinshelwood’s delivery from the free-kick doesn’t quite find Dunk at the far post, causing a bit of a panic in the penalty area, but Cucurella is able to eventually clear the danger quite emphatically.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:28

Ahead of a Brighton free-kick, the referee calls Estupinan and Gusto over to have a word about some pushing and shoving. The visiting left-back needs to be careful – under the close eye of the match official after his earlier booking.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:26

Jackson has been involved in 14 goals in his last 14 Premier League games for Chelsea (nine goals, five assists), two more than he’d managed in his first 27 appearances (nine goals, three assists).

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:24

JUST WIDE! Brighton are caught trying to play out from the back, with Verbruggen’s pass to Wieffer intercepted by a determined Caicedo, who immediately prods the ball forward for his team-mate. With only the goalkeeper to beat, Palmer can’t quite find the back of the net with his right foot, sending it whistling wide of the near post!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:23

Substitution Adam Harry Webster Igor Julio dos Santos de Paulo

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:23

Substitution Mats Wieffer Yasin Abbas Ayari

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:20

Baleba’s interception immediately puts Brighton on the attack, but Rutter chooses the unselfish option, looking to split the lines with a pass for Welbeck, instead of shooting with room ahead of Cucurella. It’s the wrong choice, with Chelsea almost immediately able to clear their lines.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:19

Cucurella and Sancho work an effective one-two pass on the left wing, putting the full-back in a good position for a cross. His high, hanging delivery is attacked by Jackson, who puts his header disappointingly wide of the mark.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:19

CLOSE TO A FIFTH! Sancho’s inswinging corner is headed away initially by Welbeck, but only as far as Palmer 20 yards from goal. Full of confidence, the England international controls the clearance with his knee before hitting a well-timed volley towards goal. The effort forces Verbruggen to cover the top of his goal, but the ball flies narrowly over!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:16

Palmer has become the first Premier League player in history to score four goals before half-time in a single match – an incredible feat for the young forward.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:15

OFF THE LINE BY WEBSTER! Palmer turns provider, scooping an unbelievable first-time cross over the top of Brighton’s defence for Jackson, who manages to hold his run until the last possible second. With only the goalkeeper to beat, the striker rounds Verbruggen and sends an off-balance shot towards the open net – only to be denied by Webster, who comes flying across the goal-line to make an acrobatic stop!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:15

Estupinan charges forward, beating Madueke for pace before threading it through to Mitoma. In trademark style, the winger looks to cut inside ahead of Gusto and have a shot but his touch lets him down, allowing Fofana to cut across and end the move.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:12

Palmer feeds the ball through to Jackson, who waits for the pass to catch up to him before turning and lashing a left-footed shot that’s pushed behind for a corner by Verbruggen.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

16:11

Chelsea get the match restarted from the kick-off!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:56

Behind by two goals, Brighton have little option but to come forward and attack; a risky strategy considering just how open and porous their back line has been in the first half. Perhaps Moder could be a useful option in the second half to help protect the defence and keep the ball, while Enciso is a possible entrant either in attack, or in the middle of the park to help create more penetration. Minteh is also a danger down the flanks, while Chelsea will be looking to keep everything in front of them and preserve their deserved lead. Lavia could be introduced for just his third Premier League appearance for the Blues – possibly in place of the booked Fernandez – while Nkunku will likely see the pitch in an attempt to improve on his record of four goals in his last three matches.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:56

An absolutely mad first half at Stamford Bridge comes to a close with Chelsea ahead by four goals to two, thanks to a four-goal first-half performance from Palmer and some poor play at the back from both sides. Brighton started the more positive of the two teams, controlling possession and linking up in neat triangles, eventually taking the lead after just seven minutes thanks to Rutter – scoring after Caicedo’s blocked clearance. It appeared an early deficit was just what Palmer needed to get going, with the England international hitting the woodwork and having a goal chalked off for offside – only to find the back of the net three times in the ensuing 10 minutes – including a superb free-kick from 30 yards out. A Sanchez mistake gave Brighton the chance to pull one back through Baleba, but Palmer was once again there to restore the Blues’ two-goal advantage, slotting an acute-angle finish past Verbruggen for four goals in 40 minutes. Enzo Maresca’s side have produced an xG of 1.95 (1.72 of that coming from Palmer alone), while Brighton scored twice on just 0.72.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:55

HALF-TIME: CHELSEA 4-2 BRIGHTON

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:54

Hurzeler will just be looking to get his side into the half-time interval, where he can deliver additional instructions after seeing a lot of positives and negatives in the first period at Stamford Bridge. Brighton have certainly had their moments going forward, but look to be missing the presence of both Veltman and Van Hecke.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:48

Rutter gets to the corner of the penalty area and cuts inside ahead of Cucurella before hitting a low drive that’s blocked by a well-placed Fernandez.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:47

The fourth official indicates eight minutes will be added to the end of the half for stoppages.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:47

Estupinan sends an outswinging corner towards the six-yard box looking for a late goal, but Fofana and Cucurella combine to clear Chelsea’s lines.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:46

Sancho has now contributed an assist in each of his last three games, while Palmer takes his personal tally this season to six goals – only behind Erling Haaland.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:43

Assist Jadon Malik Sancho

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:42

Goal Cole Jermaine Palmer

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:42

Madueke sends a skipping cross towards the penalty spot for Sancho on the other side, but a brave Verbruggen comes a long way off his line to make sure he’s first to it.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:41

MADUEKE GOES WIDE! Chelsea again expose Brighton’s high line, sending the ball right over the top for Madueke. Hinshelwood tries his best to keep pace with the winger but he’s taken out of the play inside the penalty area, only for Madueke to send his acute-angle shot rippling the side-netting!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:41

Despite already bagging a hat-trick in 30 minutes, Palmer could have even had more this game, with the forward denied by the frame of the goal and a narrow offside margin, in what could have been an outrageous five-goal spell. He’s on top form – replicating his production from last year

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:41

BRIGHTON PULL ONE BACK! 3-2! It’s a poor goal for Chelsea to concede, with Sanchez virtually passing it right to Baleba 18 yards from goal. From there, it’s a simple finish for the midfielder, who takes a touch to bring the ball under his control before slotting a cool finish past the goalkeeper to pull the lead back to one!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:37

Cucurella is extremely late challenging Hinshelwood for the ball, catching the midfielder and upending him instead. It’s a yellow card for the now Chelsea – former Brighton – full-back.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:32

Goal Cole Jermaine Palmer

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:31

Brighton’s defence is yet again breached, with Madueke getting past Dunk and Webster 30 yards from goal, until he’s tripped and send to the ground by a desperate Estupinan. It’s a yellow card for the left-back, while Chelsea demand a red.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:31

Yellow Card Enzo Jeremías Fernández

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:30

Penalty Goal Cole Jermaine Palmer

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:28

Yellow Card Lewis Carl Dunk

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:27

There is a lengthy VAR check after the disallowed goal, with the team of referees checking to ensure that Madueke started his run in an offside position. There is also a case to be made that Sancho was unable to hold his line during the pass across the face of goal as well – with the video assistants agreeing with the on-field decision.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:26

ANOTHER GOAL CHALKED OFF! Chelsea move the ball up from the back centrally, with Jackson picking up possession inside the centre-circle. The striker immediately plays a pass forward for the pacey Madueke, who latches onto it and drives into the penalty area. Looking to provide for a team-mate, he squares a pass across the face of goal for Sancho, who finishes from close range, but yet another offside call denies Chelsea by the narrowest of margins!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:23

Assist Nicolas Jackson

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:22

Goal Cole Jermaine Palmer

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:22

PALMER SCORES BUT IT WON’T COUNT! Again looking for the same connection, this time Fernandez puts some air under his pass, lifting the ball over the top of the defence for the run of Palmer from inside his own half. This time, the forward makes no mistake, slotting his finish past the goalkeeper, but he’s denied by the linesman’s flag, with offside the call!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:21

OFF THE POST! INCREDIBLE! Fernandez splits the Brighton defence with a superb pass forward for Palmer, putting the ball perfectly in the forward’s stride. The England international’s first touch lets him down somewhat but he still manages to drag Verbruggen off his line before chipping a cheeky finish over him – only to be denied by the base of the post!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:20

Brighton are moving the ball with speed and purpose in midfield, interchanging neatly in triangles to get past the Chelsea press as they look to build attacks down the wing. Baleba and Hinshelwood have worked well in tandem with their respective full-backs, forcing the hosts onto the back foot early.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:19

INSTINCTIVE SAVE FROM SANCHEZ! Hinshelwood and Baleba link up delightfully in midfield, giving Welbeck the chance to run down the right wing to latch onto the ball. The striker eventually delivers a cross into the six-yard box from a position near the byline, which takes a dangerous deflection on its way through, forcing the Chelsea goalkeeper to stick out an arm and swat it away with a closed fist!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:18

Estupinan’s ensuing corner-kick is floated to the near post, but Jackson is back to do his defensive duties, powering the ball away with his head.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:16

Estupinan delivers a lovely cross into the penalty area looking for the run of Welbeck, with Cucurella forced into a diving header to turn the ball behind for a Brighton corner.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:13

Sancho glides into the penalty area after linking up with Cucurella, but his low, left-footed cross into the six-yard box is a tame delivery that is easily gathered by Verbruggen.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:13

After being looked at both on the pitch and on the touchline, Rutter has been cleared to return to the fray, having given his side an early lead away from home!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:12

Brighton take the lead but there’s no time for celebration, as the medical staff are on to the pitch to take a look at Rutter, who appears to have collided with Sanchez during his headed attempt that led to the goal. Chelsea players are circling referee Peter Bankes looking for a foul the other way, but their appeals are denied, as the goal stands!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:08

Assist Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:08

There are a number of Chelsea players who will be looking to make a good impression against their former club, with Sanchez, Cucurella and Caicedo all coming from Brighton to Stamford Bridge. No doubt the two outfield players will be desperate to score, while the goalkeeper will be looking for a third-consecutive clean sheet; with Jorgensen having featured in Chelsea’s League Cup match against Barrow.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:07

Hinshelwood’s lax pass back to Wieffer is intercepted by Jackson, who plays the ball unselfishly across the edge of the 18-yard box for Sancho. The winger takes a touch to set himself before firing a shot but it’s blocked by a desperate Dunk.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:04

A lovely piece of skill gets Mitoma past Gusto down the left wing, but Caicedo comes across to help narrow down the angle, with the Japan international’s cross eventually caught by Sanchez.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

15:02

Brighton get the match underway from the kick-off!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

14:48

Brighton make three alterations to the XI that drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Webster takes the spot of the unavailable Jan Paul van Hecke at centre-back, while Kadioglu is handed a first Premier League start with the absence of Joel Veltman. The final swap is in midfield, where Samuel Adingra is left out for Wieffer.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

14:48

Chelsea make one change to the side that beat West Ham 3-0 seven days ago, with Gusto in for Adarabioyo at right-back, which pushes Fofana inside to centre-back.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

14:48

BRIGHTON SUBS: Tariq Lamptey, Igor Julio, Julio Enciso, Jakub Moder, Yankuba Minteh, Jason Steele, Yasin Ayari, Evan Ferguson, Imari Samuels.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

14:48

BRIGHTON XI (4-3-3): Bart Verbruggen; Pervis Estupinan, Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster, Ferdi Kadioglu; Carlos Baleba, Mats Wieffer, Jack Hinshelwood; Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck, Georginio Rutter.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

14:48

CHELSEA SUBS: Axel Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Pedro Neto, Mykhailo Mudryk, Filip Jorgensen, Joao Felix, Christopher Nkunku, Renato Veiga, Romeo Lavia.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

14:48

CHELSEA XI (4-2-3-1): Robert Sanchez: Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto; Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo; Jadon Sancho, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke; Nicolas Jackson.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

14:48

With 15 minutes to go before kick-off, let’s take a look at how the two sides are lining up – starting with our hosts!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

14:38

Just one point and one place behind Chelsea, Brighton have gotten off to a flying start under new, young coach Fabian Hurzeler, with the Seagulls avoiding defeat in each of their first seven matches in all competitions. Despite the positive start, today’s visitors have gone three league games without a win, drawing against Arsenal, Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest. A side usually known for its attacking prowess, Brighton have seemingly found their rhythm defensively, with only Liverpool and Arsenal conceding fewer goals after five matches.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

14:32

Chelsea have bounced back from a disappointing 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace in the Premier League on the first of September, winning each of their last three matches in all competitions by an aggregate score of 9-0. Yet to experience victory in front of the Stamford Bridge faithful this campaign, Enzo Maresca’s sixth-placed side could jump all the way into second by the end of play today with three points and some help from elsewhere.

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

14:32

Hello and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the Premier League fixture between Chelsea and Brighton!

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

13:00

Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…

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Never in doubt! Arsenal leave it late against Leicester to go joint top

September 29, 2024

by araf123 with No Comment Uncategorized

PREMIER LEAGUE

ARSENAL 4 (Martinelli 20, Trossard 44, 94, Havertz 99)

LEICESTER 2 (Justin 47, 73)

AND now you’re going believe us, and now you’re going believe us, and now you’re going believe us: We’re going to win the league!

They left it late, but dramatic injury time goals kept Arsenal firmly in the title race after Manchester City dropped points at Newcastle.

This was far from the straight forward home victory against newly promoted Leicester that everyone had been predicting, despite a first half of complete dominance.

The visitors rallied in the second half, with a goal of the month contender from James Justin and a series of heroic saves from keeper Mads Hermansen.

It took a deflected strike from Leo Trossard, stabbed in at the back post, and a VAR overruled offside Kai Havertz goal to seal the win.

If it feels like there’s been a revolution at Arsenal in recent years, think about being a Leicester fan.

It doesn’t seem so long ago that Arsenal were trying to buy Jamie Vardy from the Premier League champions, now newly promoted and fighting for survival.

Gabi Martinelli feathered in the opener from a cut back pass from Jurien Timber.

You could see the relief in his face after a barren run of form, and having skied a decent chance a few minutes earlier

Timber, playing right back with Ben White unavailable, was arguably Arsenal’s best player.

Able to play right or left back, he is surely a guaranteed starter now.

Martinelli turned provider just before half time after he picked out Trossard, who made a difficult finish look easy to make it 2-0.

Once again, the players celebrations with the pint-sized midfielder seemed a little awkward.

Against all expectations, Leicester scored just after the restart after Justin’s header from a freekick was deflected in by Kai Havertz.

There was nothing David Raya could do but the goal came as quite a shock after a laid back first half without any goal threat from the visitors.

Gabriel had a header from a corner saved and keeper Hermansen got back up well to block Califiori’s follow up – the first of a series of incredible stops by the Leicester Number 1.

The atmosphere turned edgy.

Bukayo Saka hit the side netting and a Trossard half volley cracked the outside of the post.

Teenager Buonanotte had about three decent chances before Justin arced in an outrageous volleyed equaliser on the hour mark.

It was a sensational finish, a bit like the first deflected goal in that there was not much keeper Raya could do.

Havertz had a shot from point blank range saved by keeper Hermansen before going down a bit too easily in the box in a penalty appeal waved away by the referee.

Riccardo Caliafiori arguably should have got a second yellow after his foul prevented a Leicester attack.

Hermansen pulled off another stunning save after Trossard was gifted a gilt edged chance in the box, and then another from a Califiori back post header that looked a certain goal.

Arsenal rained down at the death with Nwaneri and Sterling looking lively in a late cameo.

Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Califiori, Rice, Partey (Nwaneri 84), Trossard (Jesus 98), Saka, Martinelli (Sterling 74).
Subs not used: Jorginho, Kacurri, Kiwior, Skelly, Neto, Nichols

Leicester: Hermansen, Faes, Okou (Fatawu 98), Ndidi (Edouard 98), Winks, Vardy, Mavdidi (Reid 88), Kristiansen Skipp (Khannous 88), Buonanotte (Ayew)
Subs not used: Pereira, Coady, Choudhury, Ward

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Arsenal ratings: Saka, Trossard star in win vs. Leicester

September 29, 2024

by araf123 with No Comment Uncategorized

Sep 28, 2024, 12:31 PM ET

Arsenal returned to winning ways on Saturday afternoon as they secured a 4-2 victory over Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners dominated the first half and got themselves in front when Jurriën Timber crossed low towards Gabriel Martinelli, who registered his first Premier League goal of the season with an accurate finish. Martinelli was a regular spark for the home side’s attack throughout the opening 45 minutes, and he was involved again before the break when providing the assist for Leandro Trossard to double the lead.

Manager Mikel Arteta looked comfortable as his side enjoyed 76% possession by the end of the first half, but it was just moments after the restart when the Foxes responded, with James Justin‘s effort deflected off Kai Havertz from Facundo Buonanotte‘s free kick.

Leicester City goalkeeper Mads Hermansen kept his side in it with saves against Gabriel Magalhães and then Trossard, before a spectacular effort from Justin was smashed in off the post to level the scoring. Hermansen was involved again when a poor pass out from the back allowed Declan Rice to play in Trossard, only for the 29-year-old to see his effort saved.

Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri were introduced as Arsenal looked to get a late winner, and after Hermansen made one more save from Riccardo Calafiori, it was one corner too many in the 94th minute as Trossard’s effort was deflected in by Wilfred Ndidi to win the game. Havertz added a late goal to seal it with one of the final kicks of the match.

Positives

Arsenal’s victory puts them on level points with Manchester City, while they continued to show how they continue to win games late, while being the best in the league at converting set pieces. Bukayo Saka‘s performance was also noteworthy, in an almost faultless display on the day.

Negatives

There were some moments when concentration could have been better, with Calafiori taking a chance on a yellow card — but those were minor negatives in an otherwise convincing performance.

Manager rating (1-10)

Mikel Arteta, 7 — Arteta’s side created more than enough chances to win the game, and the Arsenal manager was unlucky to see his side concede from a deflected set piece and then a spectacular strike. Some might argue he could have made the introduction of Sterling sooner, but the Gunners did have a massive chance to retake the lead a minute before he came on.

Player ratings (1-10; 10: best. Players introduced after 70 minutes receive no rating)

GK David Raya, 5 — There was little to do for Raya as Arsenal dominated the first half, but he had to pick the ball out of his net moments after the restart, with Leicester City converting from their free kick.

DF Riccardo Calafiori, 6 — The Italy international combined well with Martinelli when advancing up the left flank, and was encouraged to shoot by the Emirates Stadium crowd after his effort against Manchester City last week. He could have been tighter to Justin before his strike, and was also careless with some challenges which may have seen him sent off on another day. Almost scored the winner with a powerful header but was denied by Hermansen.

DF Gabriel Magalhães, 6 — Gabriel was a constant danger on set pieces as usual and came close to scoring when forcing a save from Hermansen. Composed in possession, and helped quickly restart attacks for his side after receiving the ball.

DF William Saliba, 7 — A strong display from Saliba saw him regularly win the ball back with aggressive challenges high up the pitch, which allowed Arsenal to maintain pressure when their opponents tried to clear the danger. Involved in the first goal when challenging Jamie Vardy who claimed for a foul before the Gunners scored, but there didn’t look to be too much in it. Booked in the second half for a foul on Vardy.

DF Jurriën Timber, 7 — Timber fared well against Leicester City’s attempts to counter-attack and dealt well against the threat of Stephy Mavididi. Registered an assist with a low cross that was delivered across the box to Martinelli.

MF Thomas Partey, 6 — Kept things ticking in midfield by moving the ball on to Arsenal’s more creative players, but didn’t have too much to do defensively, with the majority of Leicester City’s attacks going down the flanks.

MF Declan Rice, 7 — An all-round strong midfield performance saw Rice help control the game as well as win possession back consistently, impressing with his decision-making. Played in Trossard after a big error from Hermansen, and was unlucky not to get an assist after the goalkeeper made amends with a save.

MF Kai Havertz, 6 — The 25-year-old timed his runs well into the penalty area and was able to connect with multiple crosses but couldn’t trouble the goalkeeper. He was also too deep from Leicester City’s free kick, deflecting Justin’s effort into his own goal. Got himself on the scoresheet late on to seal Arsenal’s 4-2 victory.

FW Gabriel Martinelli, 8 — Martinelli always looked to beat his marker down the left-flank and where he provided a regular option when Arsenal won the ball back high up the pitch. Got things up and running with a strong finish from Timber’s low cross, and then turned provider to assist Trossard as the Gunners made it 2-0. Replaced by Sterling in the second half.

FW Leandro Trossard, 8 — The Belgium international got into consistent intelligent positions and was rewarded at the end of the first half as he finished accurately from Martinelli’s cut-back. Missed a big chance in the second half but made amends with his effort that was deflected into the goal in the 94th minute.

FW Bukayo Saka, 9 — There was always a sense that something could happen when Saka had the ball on the right-flank, where Leicester City even struggled to deal with the 23-year-old when they doubled up on him. Impressed when beating his man down the line as well as cutting inside, and he consistently carried the ball into dangerous areas before creating shooting opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes = no rating)

Raheem Sterling (on for Martinelli, 74″), N/R — Positive in possession and tried to beat his marker down the line, but couldn’t get his deliveries into the box.

Ethan Nwaneri (Partey, 85″), N/R — Brought on and provided an instant lift to the crowd amid a confident performance, and was involved as he helped win the corner that put Leicester under all sorts of pressure.

Gabriel Jesus (Trossard, 98″,) N/R — Introduced as Arsenal looked to play the remainder of the game out.

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Arsenal vs Bolton LIVE: Carabao Cup result and reaction as Nwaneri and Sterling score first Gunners goals

September 26, 2024

by araf123 with No Comment Uncategorized

(Action Images via Reuters)

Follow live reaction coverage after Arsenal faced Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup third round.

The Gunners fought out a memorable and hard-fought draw with Man City at the weekend, but given they were seconds from victory, the point will have felt like two lost at the Etihad. Mikel Arteta rotated his pack heavily after that tense encounter, with 16-year-old goalkeeper Jack Porter getting a debut between the sticks and Ethan Nwaneri another young starter.

Arteta was rewarded by two goals from the latter, his first senior goals, as Raheem Sterling also netted his first Gunners goal in an eventual 5-1 win, with Kai Havertz wrapping up the scoring following Declan Rice’s early opener. Aaron Collins netted a consolation for the visitors in the second half to deny Porter a clean sheet, but Bolton were well beaten.

Follow live updates and reaction from the game in the live blog below.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers LIVE: League Cup updates

Kick-off at 7:45pm
Arsenal XI – Porter, Nichols, Kiwior, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Saka, Sterling, Jesus
Bolton XI – Southwood, Dacres-Cogley, Forino, Almeida Santos, Toal, Williams, Sheehan, Dempsey, Arfield, McAtee, Collins
Goal – Rice nets from edge of the box early on (1-0)
Goal – Nwaneri scores first senior goal to double lead (2-0)
Goal – Nwaneri adds his second soon after restart (3-0)
Goal – Bolton pull one back on the counter through Collins (3-1)
Goal – Sterling taps in his first Arsenal goal (4-1)
Goal – Havertz nets one off the bench (5-1)

Arsenal FC 5 – 1 Bolton Wanderers FC

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:40

Match ends, Arsenal 5, Bolton Wanderers 1.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:38

Second Half ends, Arsenal 5, Bolton Wanderers 1.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:38

Corner, Bolton Wanderers. Conceded by Maldini Kacurri.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:36

Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Eoin Toal.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:36

Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:33

Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Ricardo Santos.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:31

Josh Nichols (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:28

Attempt missed. Kai Havertz (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:28

Foul by Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal).

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:28

Substitution, Arsenal. Ismeal Kabia replaces Raheem Sterling.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:28

Attempt blocked. Kai Havertz (Arsenal) header from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Gabriel Martinelli.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:24

Substitution, Bolton Wanderers. Dion Charles replaces Aaron Collins.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:24

Substitution, Bolton Wanderers. Victor Adeboyejo replaces John McAtee.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:22

Goal! Arsenal 5, Bolton Wanderers 1. Kai Havertz (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal following a corner.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:22

Attempt saved. Raheem Sterling (Arsenal) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:20

Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by George Thomason.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:19

Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Luke Southwood.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:20

Attempt saved. Raheem Sterling (Arsenal) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Jorginho with a through ball.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:18

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:18

Substitution, Bolton Wanderers. George Johnston replaces Chris Forino because of an injury.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:15

Substitution, Arsenal. Gabriel Martinelli replaces Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:14

Substitution, Arsenal. Maldini Kacurri replaces Riccardo Calafiori.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:14

Delay in match because of an injury Chris Forino (Bolton Wanderers).

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:14

Substitution, Bolton Wanderers. George Thomason replaces Scott Arfield.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:14

Substitution, Bolton Wanderers. Jay Matete replaces Kyle Dempsey.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:11

Offside, Arsenal. Raheem Sterling is caught offside.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:28

Attempt missed. John McAtee (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box misses to the left.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:10

Attempt missed. Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:08

Goal! Arsenal 4, Bolton Wanderers 1. Raheem Sterling (Arsenal) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:09

Attempt saved. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:08

Substitution, Arsenal. Kai Havertz replaces Declan Rice.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:08

Substitution, Arsenal. Gabriel Magalhães replaces Myles Lewis-Skelly because of an injury.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:08

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:08

Delay in match because of an injury Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal).

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:01

Offside, Bolton Wanderers. Aaron Collins is caught offside.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:01

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

21:01

Delay in match because of an injury Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal).

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:59

Attempt missed. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:58

Jorginho (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:58

Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:58

Goal! Arsenal 3, Bolton Wanderers 1. Aaron Collins (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by John McAtee following a fast break.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:58

Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Luke Southwood.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:58

Attempt saved. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Declan Rice.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:53

Goal! Arsenal 3, Bolton Wanderers 0. Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Declan Rice.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:51

Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Chris Forino.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:51

Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:49

Second Half begins Arsenal 2, Bolton Wanderers 0.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:34

First Half ends, Arsenal 2, Bolton Wanderers 0.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:44

Attempt blocked. Jakub Kiwior (Arsenal) header from very close range is blocked.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:34

Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Josh Sheehan.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:34

Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:31

Attempt missed. Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Bukayo Saka with a through ball following a fast break.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:33

Attempt blocked. Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:31

Attempt blocked. Declan Rice (Arsenal) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:31

Attempt blocked. Jakub Kiwior (Arsenal) right footed shot from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:30

Attempt missed. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box following a corner.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:27

Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Luke Southwood.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:29

Attempt saved. Raheem Sterling (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Declan Rice.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:27

Declan Rice (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:25

Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Chris Forino.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:23

Goal! Arsenal 2, Bolton Wanderers 0. Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Raheem Sterling.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:21

Offside, Bolton Wanderers. John McAtee is caught offside.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:21

Corner, Bolton Wanderers. Conceded by Raheem Sterling.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:21

Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:20

Foul by Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal).

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:17

Attempt missed. John McAtee (Bolton Wanderers) left footed shot from the centre of the box following a corner.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:17

Corner, Bolton Wanderers. Conceded by Jakub Kiwior.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:17

Foul by Raheem Sterling (Arsenal).

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:33

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:16

Delay in match (Bolton Wanderers).

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:33

Delay in match (Arsenal).

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:11

Attempt missed. Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:11

Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Eoin Toal.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:14

Attempt blocked. Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) right footed shot from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:04

Foul by Jakub Kiwior (Arsenal).

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:04

Foul by Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal).

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

20:01

Goal! Arsenal 1, Bolton Wanderers 0. Declan Rice (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

19:59

Corner, Bolton Wanderers. Conceded by Jakub Kiwior.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

19:57

Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

19:57

Foul by Scott Arfield (Bolton Wanderers).

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

19:57

Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Eoin Toal.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

19:57

Attempt blocked. Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is blocked. Assisted by Bukayo Saka with a headed pass.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

19:54

Josh Nichols (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

19:49

Attempt missed. Scott Arfield (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

19:49

Foul by Josh Dacres-Cogley (Bolton Wanderers).

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

19:45

First Half begins.

Confirmed lineups

18:54 , Karl Matchett

Nwaneri starts for Arsenal, as do Sterling and 16-year-old Jack Porter.

🔴 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️

🧤 Porter between the sticks
©️ Jorginho skippers the side
🆕 Sterling makes full debut

Let’s seal our place in the next round, Gunners 💪 pic.twitter.com/4JaNpNMBeC

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 25, 2024

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

19:15

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

17:45

Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.

Whether it’s Premier League, Champions League, a European Championship or the World Cup we will keep you up to date with everything you need to know.

We will have all the latest scores, goals and updates plus analysis and reaction throughout the game here.

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Arsenal fall short against City again despite Arteta’s full embrace of his inner Mourinho | Arsenal

September 25, 2024

by araf123 with No Comment Uncategorized

The expectation – perhaps the fear – had been that Manchester City against Arsenal would be like their two league meetings last season: of undoubted high quality and tension, but a little tepid, lacking the blood and thunder to live long in the memory for neutrals. Instead, what played out was a classic, a game of a million subplots, of controversy and brilliance and doziness that became, ultimately, almost a re-enactment of José Mourinho’s Internazionale eliminating Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona in the 2010 Champions League semi-final.

Arsenal had kept nine clean sheets in 11 away league games this year with the win over Tottenham last week, via a header from a corner after a stifling defensive display, making clear that Mikel Arteta, although he served an apprenticeship as Guardiola’s assistant, is in no sense a Guardiola clone. Many even said he has a streak of Mourinho (who himself, of course, was schooled in the Barcelona method before adapting it) but, still, few thought that by Sunday afternoon he’d have embraced the role with such gusto.

In 2010, Inter went to the Camp Nou 3-1 up from the first leg of their Champions League semi-final and, after having Thiago Motta sent off after 28 minutes, a decision they disputed vehemently, retreated into their bunker, defending deep, scarcely bothering to present a threat on the counter, spoiling and time-wasting at every turn. Inter lost 1-0, but that was enough to go through on aggregate which, in his own eyes, was Mourinho’s finest hour, to the extent that he had a life-size cutout of his finger-raised celebratory sprint at the final whistle installed in his office when he was manager of Real Madrid.

Inter had 19% possession in that game; Arsenal had 12% in the second half on Sunday. City were predictably furious with Arsenal’s gamesmanship (and rightly so – what may be almost comically brazen in a one-off game would soon lose its charm if it became habitual) with John Stones calling them “clever, or dirty” and Bernardo Silva accusing them of playing “to the limits of what was possible to do and allowed by the referee”.

But what was extraordinary was how badly City dealt with the situation. They had 28 shots in the second half. Of those, 13 were by defenders – the last of them, from John Stones, the late equaliser, which followed the precedent of Gerard Piqué’s late goal in 2010. A further four were by Mateo Kovačić, who has only scored 18 league goals in a career that began six months after Mourinho’s triumph at the Camp Nou. Eighteen of the 28 shots were from outside the box. Only one, before the goal, had an xG of higher than 0.1.

Arsenal stifled Man City in the second half despite Pep Guardiola’s team dominating possession. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

In part, that is testament to how well Arsenal defended, the diligence with which they dropped into their 5-4-0 shape, occasionally a 6-3-0, just outside their own box. There was a moment in injury time when the ball was worked to Rúben Dias on the edge of the box and Arsenal, for once, had nobody in place to close him down. It was a genuine opportunity but so frazzled was Dias after four misses from range, the last of which had provoked a grumble of frustration from the crowd, that he paused and played a sideways pass instead.

But it also highlighted the oddity of the modern City. Guardiola is the great manipulator of shape; his entire philosophy is about creating overloads and getting players into the positions in which they can be at their most effective. Yet the two players who had the most touches in the second half were Dias and Manuel Akanji (152 between them, as opposed to 120 for every Arsenal outfielder put together); fine players though both are, are they really the men most likely to be able to pick their way through a low block? Of City’s 13 league goals this season, 10 have been scored by Erling Haaland, which on the one hand speaks of his extraordinary ability, but on the other, with all due caveats about how few games have been played, may hint at dependency. At the very least it speaks of how far Guardiola has moved from his old vision of a team of 11 diminutive and almost interchangeable midfielders.

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The other player on whom City rely is Rodri and his prolonged absence with a knee injury may end up as the most significant consequence of the game. The only team City beat in the league without him last season was Luton. He is vital to how they play and his absence will make it harder for City to control games.

Arsenal would almost certainly have taken a draw before kick-off, and again after Leandro Trossard’s red card. There was something magnificent in their resistance, and yet it proved not quite enough – which is becoming an unfortunate trope for Arsenal. A win would have lifted Arsenal above City; as it is, the sense given how the game went is that, for the second season running, they perhaps missed an opportunity at the Etihad.

This is an extract from Soccer with Jonathan Wilson, a weekly look from the Guardian US at the game in Europe and beyond. Subscribe for free here. Have a question for Jonathan? Email soccerwithjw@theguardian.com, and he’ll answer the best in a future edition

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How Arsenal ‘won’ at Man City, Ter Stegen’s injury, more

September 25, 2024

by araf123 with No Comment Uncategorized

Gabriele Marcotti, Senior Writer, ESPN FCSep 23, 2024, 10:41 AM ET

What a weekend! Europe’s top leagues delivered again with a ton of talking points to dissect now that the dust has settled. Conceding a late equalizer will hurt Arsenal in the table, but it’s clear Mikel Arteta & Co. emerged with a moral and psychological victory from Sunday’s trip to Manchester City. Meanwhile, Christian Pulisic scored early as Milan won a typically feisty derby over Serie A champs Inter, and relieved some of the pressure on Rossoneri boss Paulo Fonseca.

Elsewhere, Barcelona surged to another win in LaLiga, but must do without elite goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen after what looks to be a serious injury. Can they sustain this pace without him? There were also talking points galore for Stuttgart (who beat Borussia Dortmund), Man United (who didn’t beat Crystal Palace), Liverpool (who got a goal from Darwin Núñez), and Chelsea (who are getting the best from Nico Jackson), and much, much more.

It’s Monday. Gab Marcotti reacts to the biggest moments in the world of football.

11 vs. 10 is a different sport, but Arsenal come out the better vs. Man City despite conceding a late equalizer

There’s a performance dimension to games like this, and there’s a result dimension. Sometimes they match, sometimes they don’t. And while Manchester City and Arsenal end up drawing 2-2 on Sunday, there is little doubt who emerges with more bounce in their step: it’s Mikel Arteta.

There’s the obvious point that an away draw against probably the best team in the world (and certainly the best in the country) is a huge boost. There’s the resilience shown playing for 45 minutes a man down and only conceding at the very end. And there’s the fact that you did it without arguably your most important midfield piece, Martin Odegaard.

Conversely, if you’re Pep Guardiola you’ll wake up grumpy. Sure, you’re still top of the Premier League, but so what? Your title rivals got the psychological lift, and you lost Rodri to injury too. You conceded one goal in part because your captain switched off, and another because your set-piece defending wasn’t up to scratch. Those 28 shots you took in the second half — 20 of them with an xG of 0.04 or less — were an exercise in repetition and futility, which is exactly what you don’t expect from a Guardiola side. And while hindsight is always 20/20, you might even come to the conclusion that you would have been better off if Leandro Trossard had not been sent off.

OK, that last one may be a bit of a stretch, but what’s evident is how much of an impact that second yellow in first-half injury time had on the game.

Arsenal opted to retrench, taking off Bukayo Saka for Ben White, turning Gabriel Martinelli into an auxiliary fullback and turning to a de facto 6-3-0 formation. City didn’t react with a change until 20 minutes — and 13 fruitless shots — later, when Phil Foden came on. We ended up with a weird siege, which was long on drama but short on, well, football. Arsenal stayed so compact that City couldn’t make the extra man count. Not in terms of finding one-twos in tight spaces, not in terms of delivering effective crosses (bar on one or two occasions that Erling Haaland could convert), not in terms of dragging Arsenal out of position.

At the risk of sounding blasphemous, that was disappointing from Guardiola. Nobody is arguing with changes for changes’ sake, but surely City are not at their best when Rúben Dias, Manuel Akanji, Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol end up taking 12 shots on goal in the second half, almost all of them long-distance prayers where you’re hoping for a lucky deflection.

You can argue that, eventually, it worked. Jack Grealish may have come on late, but he did come on and played a big part in John Stones‘ late equalizer. Sure, but that’s no game plan — that’s throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks. And it was genuinely surprising to see City like that, just as it was surprising seeing the defending for the Gabriel goal (and the header, a few minutes earlier, that should have been a goal). You just saw him score a very similar goal against Spurs in the North London derby. Why defend like that? And I don’t just mean putting Jérémy Doku or Kyle Walker on him to impede his run (which didn’t work) but not reacting to the overload on the far post?

If Guardiola has plenty to work on — two straight home games in all competitions without a win is something that hadn’t happened since 2023 — so too does Arteta. It’s just that, until Odegaard (or, at least, Mikel Merino) returns there’s not much he can do. Arsenal are built around one of those two being on the pitch, if only because there’s nobody else who can do what they do.

Can Manchester City cope without Rodri?

Gab & Juls discuss Rodri’s injury vs. Arsenal and debate how they can replace him if it’s a long-term injury.

We did learn that Arteta is not afraid to get his hands dirty, be humble and park the bus, because he did last time around. This time, of course, it was by necessity, but it was still interesting to me that he waited until the 87th minute to send on the fresh legs of Gabriel Jesus for Martinelli.

Defending a siege takes a lot out of you, and a speedy outlet — whether the Brazilian or Raheem Sterling — can make a big difference if only to get you those two or three breaks that allow your team to take a breather and push up the pitch. By the second half, Martinelli had run himself into the ground and was really only defending on the left flank. Asking him to break, hold up the ball or win a foul or throw-in was too much at that stage. I’m not sure what it says about Arteta’s faith in Jesus or Sterling to fill that role.

Bravery is rewarded as Paulo Fonseca goes all-in and gets resounding derby win against Inter

Why loss in Milan derby is a ‘huge blow’ to Inter

Jurgen Klinsmann breaks down AC Milan’s 2-1 victory over Internazionale in the Milan derby.

The pregame chatter was that a heavy loss — or even just a listless one — in the derby against Inter would have cost the Milan manager his job. So what did Fonseca do?

Two things stood out. He rolled the dice with a 4-2-4 formation — Tammy Abraham joining Álvaro Morata up front, with Rafael Leão and Christian Pulisic high up the pitch and two attacking fullbacks such as Theo Hernández and Emerson Royal — and he got a fiery reaction from his players. They weren’t just up for it; they were wound up and with a (mostly) cool head, which is exactly what you want to see when you’re an embattled coach.

Pulisic’s opener was the embodiment of this: cool and direct as you like until the ball hits the back of the net and then a rampaging celebration straight out of WWE, which galvanized the red-and-black half of the city. Tijjani Reijnders, playing in a two-man midfield, was everywhere, perhaps a direct result of the extra responsibility that comes knowing it’s just you and Youssouf Fofana in the middle of the park. They didn’t stop running and taking risks even after Inter’s equalizer, and it was only the superb form of Yann Sommer between the posts that kept this game to 2-1, the winner coming from Milan fan and homegrown defender Matteo Gabbia, another surprise starter.

(The only sour note? Rafael Leao was subdued. That said, his mere presence, even when he’s contributing little, puts opponents on edge.)

As for Inter? Simone Inzaghi said they “didn’t look like a team,” which is one way of taking responsibility. The return of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Denzel Dumfries, Lautaro Martínez and Benjamin Pavard — all of whom were dropped from the starting lineup in the away draw with Manchester City — didn’t have the galvanizing effect he expected, and the lack of chemistry was noticeable. In his defense, teams just aren’t accustomed to — or built for — facing a 4-2-4. You imagine they won’t see this again for a long time.

What’s next for Fonseca? If you’re a cynic, you’ll point out that it’s one thing to pull this formation out of a hat in a derby — where everybody is excited anyway and runs twice as hard — and quite another to get it done on a regular basis. It’s true that a 4-2-4 likely won’t be Milan’s base formation going forward — he’ll have to come up with something more rational — but what it shows is that reports of internal turmoil likely were exaggerated. And the players believe in him enough to listen and do what he asks them to do, with full conviction.

For a new manager, that’s already a big win.

Barcelona are stronger than injuries and rotation, but Ter Stegen absence will hurt

What’s behind Barcelona’s perfect start to LaLiga?

Luis García explains how Barcelona have progressed since last season after their 5-1 win over Villarreal.

Hansi Flick has not put a foot wrong since taking over, in difficult circumstances, as Barcelona manager. And yes, I include the Monaco defeat (thank you, Eric García) in that. I’m not talking results, but about performances in difficult circumstances: from the biblical plague of injuries to the absurdity of Laporta’s levers to the pressure and demands that come from simply being in charge. Talk about a bounce-back after his nightmare in Qatar.

He did it again on Saturday, away to Villarreal — not an easy place to go. Between injuries and the need for some of his guys to take a breather, he played Garcia in midfield, gave 19-year-old Sergi his first-ever start and 22-year-old Gerard his second-ever start at the back, took the injury to goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen on the chin, and after a tight first half, rolled to a 5-1 away win. The man exudes calm and has total buy-in from his players right now.

They even overcame the horror of Ter Stegen’s injury, which means he’ll join the long list of unavailable stars: Ronald Araújo, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Andreas Christensen, Fermín López and Dani Olmo. Filling Ter Stegen’s boots (gloves?) seems like yet another massive hurdle not just because of the position he plays and the leadership he brings, but also because it’s a steep drop from him to Iñaki Peña. (We saw this last season, and it stands to reason for a guy who hasn’t been a full-time starter in the top flight… ever).

But heck, the way the Flick stardust is going, you wouldn’t bet against him magicking something up to keep the bandwagon rolling…

That Sebastian Hoeness is a bit special — either that or Dortmund are really poor (or both)

You travel to the Santiago Bernabéu midweek and, for long stretches, your Stuttgart side gets the better of Real Madrid. You host Borussia Dortmund at the weekend and you slap them down, 5-1. And you do this after a summer when you lose three key players — two of them (defensive stalwart Waldemar Anton and top scorer Serhou Guirassy) to, of all clubs, Dortmund. Yep: coach Sebastian Hoeness, the man who turned down none other than Bayern Munich last spring, is doing something right.

A lot right, in fact.

Rebuilding on the fly like this is very difficult. So too is bouncing back after a draining, emotional defeat in Europe. But that’s what he did, and against Borussia Dortmund (who sort of had the opposite Champions League night: poor and outplayed by Bruges and then breaking through for a gaudy win toward the end of the game), he was rewarded with a resounding victory.

As for Dortmund, this was embarrassingly bad. The back line, as usual, was poor defensively, but the attack was tame (just 0.09 xG in the first half) and the midfield impalpable (Enzo Millot ran rings around them). Even the get-out-of-jail-free card that is Jamie Bynoe-Gittens had no real effect. Nuri Sahin has to get to work.

Quick hits

TEN — It all comes together for Michael Olise in Bayern’s 5-0 romp: Olise was one of the 10 most expensive summer signings in Europe last year, and his move raised a few eyebrows. Nice player, still young and passes the eye test, but that €53 million release clause felt like a lot for a then-uncapped 22-year-old making the leap from Crystal Palace to Bayern. On Saturday, he scored two and assisted two in Bayern’s 5-0 romp away to Werder Bremen, a game in which their opponents couldn’t muster a single shot … of any kind. More than his numbers — he always put up those, with 16 goal involvements last year and 13 the year before — what strikes you is his poise and calm on the pitch. Right now he’s keeping Leroy Sané and Serge Gnabry out of the side, and you can see why.

Is this Chelsea team starting to find their form?

ESPN’s Mark Donaldson and Janusz Michallik discuss Chelsea’s convincing 3-0 win over West Ham in the Premier League.

NINE — After sink or swim start, we’re seeing the maturation of Nico Jackson at Chelsea: Most young players who move for big fees played a lot of minutes at a young age. He did not. Most are eased into a starring role, especially when they have just 16 top-flight starts to their name. He was not. Most need a stable environment to grow. He didn’t get it. And yet here Jackson is, leading the line for Chelsea — who beat West Ham 3-0 on Saturday — and showing signs of improvement, both in terms of movement and calm under pressure, in virtually every game. (It bears noting that his personality, intensity and athleticism were always there.) Make no mistake about it: he’s still raw, and it’s still silly of Chelsea to think they can go into a season as the only viable center-forward in the squad. But Jackson’s growth in tough conditions is impressive.

EIGHT — Vinícius comes on and turns things around for Real Madrid in 4-1 win: Or, more accurately, Vinicius comes in and turns the result, which had seen them a goal down after Thibaut Courtois‘ uncharacteristic error, around. (The performance had been solid before that, too.) Carlo Ancelotti will be grateful for the three points against Espanyol, but in some ways, it muddies the waters. Vinicius delivered a gorgeous assist and scored a great goal of his own, there’s no doubting his impact. Ancelotti’s initial plan, with Vini rested and Rodrygo and Arda Güler behind Kylian Mbappé, was actually working, just not delivering goals. Which, in this sport, is kinda important. Still, he has plenty of positives to take away, from Jude Bellingham‘s performance in a deeper role (though that shoulder injury remains scary) to Mbappé’s continuous progress. Oh, and being able to send on Vinicius is a nice plus too. Not that he plans to do that very often.

Michallik: Arne Slot has made Luis Díaz a better player

ESPN FC’s Mark Donaldson and Janusz Michallik discuss how Liverpool boss Arne Slot is getting the best out of his squad, in particular Luis Díaz, following their 3-0 win over Bournemouth.

SEVEN — Diaz and Darwin, Liverpool’s yin and yang, tear Bournemouth apart: Even when he doesn’t score (which isn’t the case often this year, given he has five in five), Luis Díaz is a model of consistency with his energy and work rate. Darwin Núñez brings plenty of energy too, but his movement isn’t quite as precise and, crucially, he’s seen as a goal scorer. And when that’s the perception, it’s not great when you miss chances: In his first two league campaigns, he scored 20 league goals on an xG of 26.7. Nunez made his first start of the season on Saturday in the 3-0 win and scored a stunner because, occasionally, that’s what he does. He’ll have his critics, but the truth is his profile is unique among Liverpool forwards. Expect him to be part of Slot’s rotation up front.

SIX — Leverkusen late show gets the points … again … but maybe this should be a concern? We saw so many late, late goals from Xabi Alonso’s side last year that it’s tempting to take their buzzer-beating heroics for granted. It’s worth reminding ourselves — reflecting on this weekend’s dramatic 4-3 comeback win over Wolfsburg and Victor Boniface‘s 97th-minute winner — that if you need late goals to get a result, often it’s because things didn’t go right for you earlier. Never mind the four-plus expected goals: how about the 2.32 xG conceded at home? Granit Xhaka was right to sound the alarm and Alonso says he “knows what we need to do better.” Good, because there will come a day when you run out of late miracles.

Marcotti: Erik ten Hag needs to be clearer to avoid Rashford speculation

Gab Marcotti says Erik ten Hag needs to be clearer in interviews to avoid the speculation that happened over him benching Marcus Rashford.

FIVE — Ten Hag’s messaging around Rashford isn’t helping: Marcus Rashford was benched on Sunday as Manchester United drew 0-0 at Crystal Palace and Erik ten Hag said it was just “rotation.” Highly plausible: there are a lot of games, wingers are the most likely to be rested and United have plenty of wingers. It would have been a total non-event if before the game, asked about Rashford’s resurgence this season and some of his off-the-pitch issues last year, ten Hag hadn’t served up a word salad that mixed up past and present tense, leaving in doubt (and with plenty of opportunity to take words out of context) whether Rashford had sorted his “lifestyle” issues. Instead, Rashford was out, and folks went back to his prematch words. For what it’s worth, I think he meant to praise Rashford for putting last year’s distractions behind him, but I can’t be sure. Nobody can, based on what he said. Ten Hag isn’t a native English speaker, and his job is to coach United, not come across unambiguously in news conferences. It’s situations like these where he could use some help from the phalanx of executives who joined the club over the summer.

FOUR — Roma win on Juric’s debut, but Friedkins got this one badly wrong: Quiet week at Roma, huh? On Wednesday, they sack resident legend Daniele De Rossi, infuriating most of the fan base who take it out on club chief executive Lina Souloukou. On Saturday, after receiving death threats from some of the more verminous among the supporters, she resigns. On Sunday, they fail to sell out the Stadio Olimpico for the first time in more than a year, but new boss Ivan Juric still delivers a 3-0 win over Udinese, with the supporters still furious. Talk about harming their own interests from the owners, the father-son duo of Dan and Ryan Friedkin. If you didn’t like De Rossi — who helped calm things down after they sacked Jose Mourinho — why give him a three-year contract in June? Why judge him on four games (and just the one loss) when half his team only arrived just before the window shut? And why stay silent throughout, forcing Soukoulou — if you believe she made the decision on her own, maybe you’d like to buy the Colosseum off me? — to face the most sociopathic scumbags all on her own? They’ve put hundreds of millions of their own money into the club, I get it — they can do what they like. But how do otherwise successful folks manage to make one foolish, knee-jerk decision after the other?

THREE — Luis Enrique gets a little too clever as PSG held to draw by Reims: And, if anything, they could have lost this game. Instead, they’re sharing top spot with Marseille, who won an epic “Olympico” against Lyon, playing down a man from the fifth minute. Squad rotation and trying new things are fine and all, but the side we saw Saturday had very little in the way of chemistry, and it took Ousmane Dembélé coming off the bench to save the day.

TWO — “Chaos Theory” works for Ange Postecoglou and Spurs: Tottenham needed a win and, despite conceding almost straight from the kickoff, they got it against a credible (albeit injury-hit) Brentford. But games like this, which turn ragged pretty quickly and become more about athleticism and skill than tactics and organization, perfectly suit Tottenham right now. Take the three points, celebrate Dominic Solanke‘s first Spurs goal (a gift) and know it won’t be this straightforward every week.

ONE — Tim (Not George) Weah for Dusan Vlahovic? Thiago Motta thinks way outside the box: Thiago Motta is what Juventus needed as manager and despite three straight scoreless draws in the league, his fresh thinking and daring will ultimately benefit the club. But yeah, taking off your club’s record-signing center-forward and replacing him with Weah, who hasn’t played up front at all since Lille three years ago, is maybe a little too counterintuitive? On the night, even his dad probably wouldn’t have been enough to break down Antonio Conte’s Napoli, who despite Juve’s dominance in possession, created the most dangerous (the only?) chance in a generally dull game.

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Manchester City 2 – 2 Arsenal – Match Report

September 23, 2024

by araf123 with No Comment Uncategorized

10-man Arsenal came within a minute of claiming their first win at the Etihad Stadium since 2015 but a late John Stones equaliser saw us have to settle for a point after an incredible performance.

A crazy opening 45 minutes saw Erling Haaland hand the hosts a ninth-minute lead, but we fought back and after a rocket from Riccardo Calafiori on his full debut drew us level, before Gabriel once again headed in a corner to get us in front.

However in the final second of the half Leandro Trossard was controversially dismissed for a second bookable offence for delaying the restart, leaving us to battle with 10 men for 45 minutes.

Despite relentless pressure, we held firm for all of those and six of the seven added on at the end of the half, but John Stones scrambled home an equaliser to deny us a famous win.