Arsenal grind out late Everton win as Newcastle stun Chelsea and City stumble at West Ham
For 88 minutes at the Emirates, Everton did everything right. They sat deep, hit on the break, and made Arsenal’s attack look ordinary. Then the dam broke.
Viktor Gyokeres pounced in the 89th minute after Jordan Pickford failed to clear a Dowman cross, the ball ricocheting off Piero Hincapie before dropping for the striker to tap in. Seven minutes into stoppage time, 16-year-old Max Dowman finished the job himself, collecting a loose ball near halfway after Pickford went up for a corner, dribbling past two Everton players and rolling the ball into an empty net. At 16 years and 73 days old, Dowman became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history, breaking James Vaughan’s 21-year-old record.
The 2-0 scoreline flattered Arsenal, but results are what matter at this stage. They now sit on 70 points, nine clear of Manchester City with a game more played.
Newcastle end Stamford Bridge drought
At Stamford Bridge, Anthony Gordon scored the only goal in the 18th minute after Joe Willock played him in with a clever layoff from Tino Livramento’s defense-splitting pass. Newcastle defended with purpose after that, and Chelsea simply could not find a way through. Reece James hit the post with a late free-kick and Liam Delap spurned a clear chance, but 1-0 it stayed. It was Newcastle’s first win at Chelsea since 2012.
The defeat leaves Chelsea on 48 points in fifth, level with Liverpool, and facing serious questions about whether they can hold onto a Champions League spot.
City’s title bid takes another hit
Manchester City needed three points at the London Stadium and, for stretches, looked like getting them. Bernardo Silva’s cross-turned-shot looped over Mads Hermansen in the 31st minute to open the scoring, but Konstantinos Mavropanos headed home from a Jarrod Bowen corner four minutes later after Gianluigi Donnarumma misjudged the flight of the ball.
City had 71 percent possession and 24 shots to West Ham’s one, but Hermansen denied Erling Haaland one-on-one and Marc Guehi missed a stoppage-time chance that would have won it. Pep Guardiola watched from the stands due to a touchline ban. His side now sit nine points off Arsenal with two games in hand.
West Ham, though, will take the point gladly. It lifted them out of the relegation zone for the first time since December.
Brighton edge Sunderland, Burnley held
At the Stadium of Light, Yankuba Minteh’s scuffed cross-shot from a tight angle in the 58th minute somehow beat Sunderland goalkeeper Melker Ellborg and proved to be the only goal. Brighton’s first win at Sunderland since 1981 pushed them into tenth.
Burnley and Bournemouth played out a goalless draw at Turf Moor, a result that does neither side much good. Burnley remain 19th on 20 points, while Bournemouth stay in the top half at tenth.
Sunday’s fixtures
Four more games on Sunday offer plenty of intrigue. Crystal Palace host Leeds, Manchester United welcome Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest face Fulham in a game that could have serious implications at the bottom. The headline act comes at Anfield, where Liverpool meet a Tottenham side sitting 16th and just a point above the drop zone after six straight defeats.
