Premier League
Gabriel goes from villain to hero to maintain Arsenal’s 100% start
Arsenal preserved the Premier League’s last remaining 100% record as defender Gabriel went from villain to hero to earn a 2-1 victory over Fulham with a late winner on Saturday.
The Brazilian gifted Fulham the lead in the 56th minute but made amends in the 85th, tapping in from close range after a mistake by former Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno.
The home fans were in full cry at the final whistle as theirt side remained top with 12 points from four games — two more than champions Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Arsenal had laboured against a well-drilled Fulham side who had been unbeaten on their top-flight return and fell behind when Aleksandar Mitrovic slotted in his 100th goal for the club.
But Fulham’s lead lasted only eight minutes before captain Martin Odegaard’s deflected effort levelled it up.
Arsenal have won their first four games of a Premier League season for the third time after doing so in 2003-04 when they claimed the title undefeated and 2004-05 when they came second.
“Big boost, winning like this is really nice,” manager Mikel Arteta said. “We made a mistake and they punished us but then how we reacted against adversity, the connection with the supporters, the way we went about it, the team believed.”
Arsenal started confidently and Granit Xhaka was close to opening the scoring with a volley that flew just wide after being set up by Gabriel Jesus.
But the rest of the first half was forgettable as Arsenal’s attack was easily stifled by Fulham’s rearguard.
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The hosts injected a little more thrust into their attacks after the break and carved out a couple of good chances with Leno saving well from Odegaard and then Jesus.
Fulham had barely mustered an attack but Arsenal self-destructed when Gabriel received a ball on the edge of his own area and was robbed by Mitrovic who clinically fired past Aaron Ramsdale to send the visiting fans into raptures.
Gabriel pulled his shirt over his head and his gaffe looked to have stopped Arsenal’s early-season charge, but Arteta’s side responded strongly to turn things around.
There was a touch of fortune about their equaliser though as Bukayo Saka played the ball in to Odegaard whose shot took enough of a defection to wrongfoot Leno.
Ramsdale then denied Mitrovic as the game opened up but Arsenal went ahead when Leno could not gather a corner under pressure and the ball dropped for Gabriel to tap in.
There was still time for substitute Nathaniel Chalobah to force a save from Ramsdale but Arsenal held out.
Fulham will take heart from another gritty display and manager Marco Silva said they were unlucky not to grab a point.
“I didn’t see many clear chances for Arsenal. After 1-0 when the game seemed to be more open they had luck to score with the deflection,” he said.
“We can do better but we deserved to get more from this game. I hope the bad luck we had this evening will go our way in the future.”
-Reuters
England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence by a Greek court over a 2020 incident in Mykonos, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.
In 2020, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery and violence against public employees after his arrest in a brawl in which two police officers were assaulted.
Maguire, who was detained for two days following the incident and denied any wrongdoing, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days but was granted a full retrial after appealing against Greek court convictions on multiple charges.
In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing nullified Maguire’s conviction before a full retrial in a more senior court. His retrial was postponed many times.
Maguire faced allegations of non-serious assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery. The 32-year-old was convicted on all three counts but will face no prison time. His legal team will appeal against the guilty verdict, Sky Sports reported.
Maguire’s brother Joe and friend Christopher Sharman were also found guilty of offences related to the incident and received suspended prison sentences in 2020. They also denied any wrongdoing.
-Reuters
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Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.
Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points, but it was a nervy afternoon in north London.
Mikel Arteta’s side moved to 64 points from 29 games, with Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.
Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber celebrates scoring their second goal with Gabriel Magalhaes REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.
But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.
Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.
-Reuters
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Premier League
Manchester United climb to third in Premier League table with come-from-behind win over Palace
Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with captain Bruno Fernandes inspiring the turnaround that lifted the hosts into third place in the Premier League standings.
Trailing inside four minutes after a dominant start by Palace, United responded through a Fernandes penalty before his pinpoint free-kick was headed home by Benjamin Sesko to seal victory against the 10-man visitors.
The win extended interim manager Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to seven matches since taking charge in mid-January. United now have 51 points from 28 games and are unbeaten since the January 5 dismissal of Ruben Amorim, climbing into third for the first time since May 2023. Palace remain 14th on 35 points.
“It feels like a big result, we were behind and had to show some character,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of games to go still, and it is important that we don’t feel that we are in the position that we need to be. We need to make as many points as we can.”
Palace, under Oliver Glasner, were electric in the opening half hour, capitalising on sluggish United play. Defender Maxence Lacroix powered home a header from a corner after muscling past Leny Yoro, scoring the earliest goal United have conceded this season.
The visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Daniel Munoz latched onto an Ismaila Sarr through ball, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.
United gradually found their rhythm before the break. Sesko forced Dean Henderson into action with a header from a Fernandes cross, and the Palace keeper also tipped a Fernandes free kick over the bar.
The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. Following a lengthy VAR review, Lacroix was shown a red card, reducing Palace to 10 men.
Eight minutes later, Fernandes’ delivery again proved decisive as Sesko rose highest to nod home the winning goal.
United pushed for a third, with Casemiro’s volley drawing a diving save from Henderson and substitute Amad Diallo testing the keeper from distance in stoppage time. Joshua Zirkzee saw efforts blocked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s fierce strike drifted narrowly wide.
Carrick praised his team’s resilience. “The biggest thing for us to take from the game is really the first time that we have been in that situation going in at halftime,” he said. “Being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and belief… to then come back as we did in the second half is the biggest thing for me today.”
Palace pressed late but could not find an equaliser. Glasner admitted his side had let the game slip. “It feels like there was more possible today. A great first 30 minutes, but the red card changed it completely. The second goal just happened too quickly.”
For United, the victory reinforces growing belief under Carrick that a top-four finish—and a return to Europe’s elite competition—is firmly within reach.
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