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Soccer PIX: Trossard goal seals Arsenal win; Chelsea held

September 17, 2023 23:46 IST

IMAGE: Arsenal's Gabriel and Fabio Vieira in action with Everton's Idrissa Gueye and Dwight McNeil. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Arsenal claimed their first Premier League win at Everton for six years as Leandro Trossard's second-half strike proved enough to secure the points at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Everton, still without a win this season, had managed to frustrate the visitors who had a Gabriel Martinelli goal ruled out for offside via VAR in the first period.

But the Londoners were eventually rewarded for their domination as Trossard's shot cannoned in off the post after a clever build-up in the 69th minute.

 

Unbeaten Arsenal joined Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool on 13 points from five games, two points behind leaders Manchester City who have a 100% record. A third successive 1-0 home defeat left Everton third from bottom with one point.

Arsenal face a huge week ahead with their return to the Champions League on Wednesday followed by next weekend's north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur.

Everton might have hoped that Mikel Arteta's side might have been distracted by those impending dates, but were ultimately unable to live with an Arsenal side that never hit top gear.

IMAGE: Arsenal's Leandro Trossard celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters

Everton offered very little to suggest they will be far away from the relegation strugglers this season with a display high on graft but sadly lacking in quality.

Arsenal's last league win at Everton in 2017 ended the reign of Ronald Koeman and while Sean Dyche is unlikely to suffer a similar fate, he has a huge task on his hands.

Everton were given a let-off in the 17th minute when Martinelli was played through on goal and finished with a curled finish reminiscent of Thierry Henry in his pomp.

Arsenal's celebrations were cut short though as a VAR check ruled that there was an offside in the build-up.

For all Arsenal's possession they were guilty of over-elaboration at times and Everton were hanging on grimly for what would have been a morale-boosting draw.

But Arsenal eventually unpicked their defence with Martin Odegaard playing in Bukayo Saka on the right side of the penalty area, and the England forward cut the ball back for Trossard who opened his left foot and placed a shot in off the far post.

IMAGE: Chelsea's Ian Maatsen in action with AFC Bournemouth's Lewis Cook. Photograph: Ian Walton/Reuters

Chelsea held to scoreless draw  

Chelsea's much-vaunted attack failed to fire again as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday, the second Premier League game in a row in which the Blues have failed to score.

After losing 1-0 to Nottingham Forest in their last league game, Chelsea dominated possession in the first half with Nicolas Jackson striking the foot of the post in the 14th minute and Conor Gallagher wasting a glorious opportunity just after the half-hour mark.

Dango Outtara enjoyed the best of Bournemouth's rare first-half chances as he connected with a low ball across the box, but Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez dived to smother his close-range shot.

The visitors had the ball in the net early in the second half as Raheem Sterling struck the angle of post and crossbar with a free kick and Levi Colwill blasted home the rebound, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

The introduction of Justin Kluivert as a second-half substitute gave Bournemouth a much-needed attacking edge and he was fouled on the edge of the area in the 76th minute, but Philip Billing's subsequent free kick was deflected wide for a corner.

IMAGE: AFC Bournemouth's Max Aarons in action with Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson. Photograph: Ian Walton/Reuters

Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke followed that up shortly afterwards with a fierce shot, and moments later he sent a looping header just wide as the home side enjoyed a rare spell of attacking pressure.

Chelsea almost got the winner five minutes from the end of normal time as Sterling picked out Cole Palmer, but Cherries keeper Neto made a brilliant one-handed reflex save to keep out the substitute's deft volley.

The draw moves Bournemouth up to 15th spot on three points, two points and one place behind Chelsea whose coach Mauricio Pochettino could not hide his disappointment.

"What the numbers say in the end is that it wasn't enough. It's always about the game. We should win 1-0, 2-0 today easily because in the first 30 minutes we had the chances," he told Sky Sports.

"If we didn't score and didn't win the game, maybe you need to say to the people that it wasn't enough," he added.

Bournemouth's players felt they were unlucky not to win.

"Coming straight off the game, we're disappointed not to take all three points. They had some chances but I think we played our best game of the season so far," defender Max Aarons said.

Source: REUTERS
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