Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on February 22, 2025
LONDON (Reuters) - Arsenal suffered a potentially mortal blow in their title quest as West Ham United condemned them to a first Premier League home defeat of the season on Saturday.
Jarrod Bowen's header ensured a 1-0 victory for West Ham as Arsenal squandered the chance to cut Liverpool's lead to five points ahead of their Sunday clash at Manchester City.
Aston Villa roared back from a goal down to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Villa Park, while Manchester United recovered from a dreadful first-half display at Goodison Park to draw 2-2 with Everton as they survived a controversial late penalty call.
Tottenham Hotspur's improved form continued when they claimed a third successive league win, increasing Ipswich Town's relegation fears with a 4-1 victory at Portman Road.
However, Wolverhampton Wanderers eased away from the drop zone with a surprise 1-0 win at 10-man Bournemouth who missed out on the chance to move into the top four.
Brighton & Hove Albion thrashed bottom club Southampton 4-0 away while Crystal Palace won 2-0 at London rivals Fulham.
Arsenal were without a recognised striker, with injuries hitting them hard, and they could have few complaints as West Ham claimed only a second league win in six since new manager Graham Potter took charge.
Mikel Arteta's side managed only two shots on target and to make matters worse they had substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly sent off in the 73rd minute after hauling down Mohammed Kudus.
"Very disappointed. Obviously very angry as well. You have to congratulate West Ham for the victory," Arteta said after Arsenal's first home league loss for 10 months.
"(The title race) is not in our hands."
NEWCOMERS LIFT VILLA OVER CHELSEA
Villa's Marco Asensio bagged a double and fellow newcomer Marcus Rashford had two assists as their side roared back from a goal down to beat Chelsea.
Enzo Fernandez slotted home in the ninth minute before Asensio levelled in the 57th. Asensio scored the winner in the 89th minute when Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen allowed the Spaniard's shot to slip under his body and into the net.
Villa climbed to seventh in the league table on 42 points, one point behind both Chelsea, who fell to sixth, and fifth-placed Bournemouth.
"Today we started very bad and conceded a goal, second in the duels, were late and slow on the press, not getting the players on the field as we planned," Villa boss Unai Emery said.
"Then we progressively got better."
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said his side "did not exist" as they trailed 2-0 at Everton for whom striker Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure were on target in the first half.
The visitors did improve after the break and captain Bruno Fernandes pulled back a goal from a free kick before Manuel Ugarte slammed home a superb equaliser 10 minutes from time.
It looked like all being in vain for United though as referee Andrew Madley pointed to the spot in stoppage time after Everton's Ashley Young went down having seemingly been pulled back by Harry Maguire as he tried to reach a rebound.
But after a long VAR check Madley went to the screen and changed his original decision.
"I think everybody who watches football we are all looking forward to a referee saying no I am sticking to what I have done," Everton boss David Moyes said.
"They are being told they are absolutely wrong. If it was absolutely clear and obvious, that is what VAR is for. I am too old to get involved and start fighting the world again."
BOURNEMOUTH STALLED BY WOLVES
Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson scored twice in the first half before goals from Djed Spence and Dejan Kulusevski wrapped up their victory at Ipswich.
The win left Ange Postecoglou's team in 12th spot with 33 points from 26 games, while Ipswich remained third from bottom on 17, five points adrift of the safety zone.
Bournemouth's surging run towards a European place was stalled as they lost to Wolves -- only their second defeat in their last 14 league games.
Matheus Cunha's 14th goal of the season secured the points for 17th-placed Wolves who are now five points clear of Ipswich.
The winner came five minutes after Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi made a reckless challenge on Rayan Ait-Nouri and was sent off in the 31st minute.
Zabarnyi was initially shown a yellow card but it was upgraded to red after a VAR intervention.
Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth remained in fifth place on 43 points.
A first-half own goal by Fulham defender Joachim Andersen and a second-half rocket from Daniel Munoz gave Palace the points at Fulham.
Brighton maintained their European qualification hopes as they put another nail in Southampton's relegation coffin.
Brazilian Joao Pedro gave Brighton the lead and Georginio Rutter doubled the lead before Kaoru Mitoma and Jack Hinshelwood sealed Southampton's eighth successive home league loss.
Saints remain rooted to the bottom of the table with nine points from 26 matches.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman and Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris and Clare Fallon)
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