Premier League
CHELSEA EARN LATE COMEBACK WIN OVER ARSENAL
Chelsea produced a stunning late comeback to beat Arsenal 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday, consigning Mikel Arteta to defeat on his home debut as coach of the north London side.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave the hosts the lead in the 13th minute but Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno’s howler handed Jorginho an equaliser on a plate after 83 minutes.
Four minutes later, Tammy Abraham settled a bad-tempered London derby when he turned in the box and drilled through the hapless Leno’s legs.
Arsenal, 12th, started with great intensity, forcing Frank Lampard’s tired-looking Chelsea back, until Aubameyang broke the deadlock after 13 minutes with an acrobatic header.
Lampard brought on Jorginho after 34 minutes and changed from a 3-4-3 formation to 4-3-3, as he did on Boxing Day against Southampton, and it helped the visitors find a foothold at a fired-up Emirates Stadium.
Fourth-place Chelsea, who lost five of their previous seven league games, had the better of the second half and when Leno blundered they quickly turned the screw to leave Arteta still hunting for his first win, following a draw at Bournemouth.
After Aubameyang’s opener, Alexandre Lacazette came close to adding a second but N’Golo Kante made a vital interception in front of goal.
The hosts showed more spark than in recent weeks but could not capitalise and Jorginho’s presence helped Chelsea turn the game around after the break.
“I give credit to the boys, credit to Jorginho,” said Chelsea striker Abraham. “In the first 30 minutes they dominated the ball… then this man (Jorginho) comes on and it’s a whole different ball game. Him coming on lifted us as a team.”
Abraham saw one effort blocked and another saved by Leno in the second half, while Arsenal substitute Joe Willock fired narrowly wide.
Arsenal complained when Jorginho, already booked, brought down Lucas Torreira, but referee Craig Pawson did not issue a second yellow card.
Then with the clock ticking down Leno missed his punch as he tried to reach Mason Mount’s free kick, allowing Jorginho a simple tap-in at the far post.
Abraham and Willian broke at lightning pace and combined for the English striker to net the second against a shell-shocked Arsenal, his 12th league goal of the campaign.
For the first time since 1959, Arsenal suffered a fourth consecutive home defeat, across all competitions.
“I’m really disappointed with the result and the way we conceded the goals and the timing of it as well,” said Arteta.
“I’m pleased with a lot of things we trained on and saw in the game, but disappointed with the result. We have to move on.”
-Reuters
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
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Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
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