Arsenal strong head

Under pressure after Manchester City's victory against Newcastle, Arsenal found the resources to overthrow the relegated Bournemouth (19th).

Winner of Everton (4-0) in the middle of the week, in a late match, the Gunners (63 points) keep their distance from the defending champions (58 pts).

This is the fifth game this season that Arsenal have won after conceding the opener, making them the team with the most points after being behind (15).

But Arsenal had not come back from a two-goal deficit since February 2012, ie 11 years.

At the time, Mikel Arteta, now on the bench, was playing midfield.

The Gunners had however been picked cold by the second fastest goal in Premier League history, scored after 9.11 seconds by Philip Billing without the Londoners even touching the ball (0-1, 1st).

The southern England team had even widened the gap on a header from Marcos Senesi after a corner (0-2, 57th).

Arsenal reacted quickly thanks to Thomas Partey (1-2, 62nd), also following a corner, before Ben White, who entered at the break, equalized when his recovery at the far post was pushed back behind the line by Neto (2-2, 70th).

And while we were playing the seventh minute of additional time, again from a corner, Reiss Nelson recovered the ball at the entrance to the area and gave the victory with an unstoppable cross shot (3-2, 90 + 7 ).

Manchester City ensures

First in line, and facing a much more dangerous opponent, since it was the 5th, Newcastle, Manchester City showed mastery and realism to win (2-0).

Manchester City players after a goal against Newcastle on March 4, 2023, at home © Paul ELLIS / AFP

Beaten by Manchester United in the final of the League Cup last Sunday (2-0), the Magpies have only picked up three points in the last five days, weighed down by their great offensive difficulties.

City, for its part, without being very spectacular, scored on its first two shots on target.

Phil Foden, who is currently coming back very strongly, first launched into a slalom in the middle of the opposing defense before seeing his shot deflected by Sven Botman - already author of a goal against his camp at Wembley on Sunday - out of scope of Nick Pope (1-0, 15th).

Manchester City doubled the bet shortly after the hour mark, with an assist from Erling Haaland, author of a clever deflection for Bernardo Silva (2-0, 67th).

Breath of fresh air for Chelsea

After only two wins in their last fifteen matches, Chelsea have managed to start moving forward against Leeds (1-0) still struggling to maintain.

With 34 points and a 10th place, the Blues remain at a distance from European places, but for Graham Potter, it is a welcome breath of fresh air.

The match was however set to resemble so many others with a mixture of awkwardness and lack of success in front of goal, like the crossbar found by Joao Felix in the 22nd minute.

But it was Frenchman Wesley Fofana who freed Stamford Bridge with a powerful header from very high altitude (1-0, 53rd) for his first start since October and his first league goal for his new club, which had no more marked for almost 400 minutes.

French Wesley Fofana scores with a header for Chelsea against Leeds, March 4, 2023 at Stamford Bridge © JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP

An auspicious victory also before the return match against Dortmund, in the round of 16 of the Champions League, on Tuesday, after the 1-0 defeat in Germany in the first leg.

Tottenham patina

Eliminated from the FA Cup (1-0) by Sheffield United (D2) in midweek, Spurs lost to Wolverhampton by conceding a spectacular recovery from Adama Traoré in the 82nd minute.

The Londoners retain their 4th place with 45 points, but their 4 length lead over Newcastle, which has two games less, seems very fragile.

Wednesday, with Antonio Conte back on the bench, they will have to try to overthrow AC Milan, who won the round of 16 first leg of C1 at home (1-0).

© 2023 AFP