Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League on Sunday with a blistering display to give bottom club Nottingham Forest a tough old afternoon at the Emirates.
My most confident SBOTOP tip this week was that Arsenal’s game at home to Nottingham Forest was a banker for the Gunners and when Gabriel Martinelli gave them the lead with just five minutes on the clock it looked pretty safe. Forest held on until the break but a quick-fire double at the start of the second half handed all three points to Mikel Arteta’s side.
And it was 22 year old Reiss Nelson, in deputising for Bukayo Saka, who bagged a five minute brace, converting a pass from Gabriel Jesus on 49 minutes and then meeting a cross from Martinelli to make it 3-0. Then Nelson turned provider on the hour, teeing up Thomas Partey for the Ghanaian to curl a beauty into the top corner, and skipper Martin Odegaard made it 5-0, beating two Forest defenders before smashing his shot high into the net.
Nottingham Forest beat Liverpool last week but they came crashing down to earth on Sunday, while the magnificent Gunners take their place at the top.
No Haaland…no problem
Life without Erling Braut Haaland in their testing clash with the Foxes was a new experience for Manchester City and the Norwegian’s failure to recover from an ankle knock posed the question as to who would score the goal to beat Leicester. Haaland has notched an incredible 22 goals in all competitions, 17 in the league and he’s already struck up a devastating partnership with Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian midfielder is one of the best assist makers in world football and he knows where the net is too, as he showed with devastating effect at the King Power Stadium.
In a tight match, the improving Foxes coped with much that City could throw at them, but there was nothing they could do when De Bruyne lined up a free-kick on 49 minutes. He beat keeper Danny Ward all ends up with a sublime shot from 25 yards which sailed over the defensive wall and into the net off the inside of the post.
Haaland will be back pretty soon, but he is prone to injury from time to time and City know that with a team jam packed with class, they can cope; and the Premier League 2022 betting odds are pretty immovable in backing the Sky Blues for a fifth league title in six campaigns
Marsching on together
Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch was the latest head coach to be under intense pressure as his struggling side travelled to Anfield to face Liverpool while languishing in the bottom three. But the Whites pulled off a stunning 1-2 victory in one of the Premier League 2022 results of the day to end a sequence of eight league games without a victory.
Rodrygo opened the scoring for Leeds to stun the Anfield crowd but it seemed like the Reds would take control of the game when Mo Salah levelled. But Leeds battled hard and tested the Liverpool defence as well as defending heroically with keeper Illan Meslier pulling off a string of outstanding saves. And the visitors reaped their reward when Crysencio Summerville reacted quickly to fire home a dramatic 89th minute winner to lift the Whites up to 15th.
No happy homecoming for Potter
Graham Potter’s unbeaten record as Chelsea head coach came crashing down at the ground where he had so much success in his previous job. On his return to the Amex Stadium in Brighton Potter endured a nightmare first half as the Seagulls raced into 3-0 half time lead thanks to a brilliant Leandro Trossard goal and own goals courtesy of Ruben Loftus- Cheek and Trevor Chalobah. Kai Havertz gave the Blues brief hope but Pascal Gross restored the three goal lead to give Roberto De Zerbi his first win as Brighton boss.
Brighton moved up to eighth, ahead of Liverpool and just three points behind Chelsea in fifth as the delighted Seagulls fans sang ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ in the direction of Potter…they are an ungrateful bunch!
High flying Magpies are a real and present danger
Anyone who thought that Saudi backed Newcastle United might take a couple of seasons before they inevitably break into the Premier League top four may need to think again after the Magpies destroyed Aston Villa to move up to the fourth Champions League place. Striker Callum Wilson made his case for inclusion in England’s World Cup squad with a clinically taken double before the rejuvenated Joelinton made it 3-0. Miguel Almiron scored the pick of the lot with a beautiful curler from outside the penalty area.
Eddie Howe is doing a fine job at the Newcastle helm and the Geordies have plenty of reasons to be cheerful; while Villa’s incoming boss, Unai Emery clearly has some work to do.
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