LONDON (AP) – Arsenal nevertheless lifted the pessimism surrounding the club and beat Chelsea 3-1 thanks to strong functionality from young players on Saturday, with the Gunners winning their first Premier League game in nearly two months.
A quiet penalty from Alexandre Lacazette, a sensational bout of Granit Xhaka and a goal from Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal the three issues at Emirates Stadium.
But it was a nervous ending for the hosts, as Tammy Abraham gave Chelsea a purpose of comfort from Tammy Abraham in the 85th minute after being singled out for offside. Visitors were penaltyd a few minutes later, but Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno Disparo de Jorginho in extra time.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he could feel power on the team’s bus before the game.
“I told them we have to seize this opportunity now,” he said. “This is a vital victory for us.
“We needed the issues with certainty and we did so by opposing one of the league’s groups convincingly. “
Arsenal climbed to 14th with 17 problems after the worst team started a season in decades.
“Yes, that’s a start, isn’t it? We needed it today,” left-back Kieran Tierney said. “We’ve had some negative effects this season. But with your foot before today.
Victory at Emirates Stadium, which was emptied by coronavirus restrictions, eased Arteta’s tension.
“Relieved and proud of the players for the functionality they did,” Arteta said when asked how she felt. “And to give back to the enthusiasts who, I imagine, were very disappointed. “
This is Arsenal’s first league triumph since 1 November against Manchester United, and the Gunners did so with a combination of older and young players, who showed verve and creativity in the future.
Arteta chose young players to begin with, adding Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and Saka, and the team shone the game.
“It was a very clever combination of older players and young players that we have. I think they were smart,” Arteta said.
Part of the variety that the Arsenal team imposed on the manager, Gabriel had to isolate himself for 3 matches because he was in close contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19; two other Brazilians, David Luiz and Willian, were absent because they were not feeling well.
Prior to the win against Chelsea, Arsenal were without victories in their last seven league games with losses and two draws.
Chelsea, for their part, did not appear to compete for most of the match, it is possible that the club has simply moved so far in the league with a win. As things go, the Blues dropped to sixth place with 25 points. .
Arsenal started brilliantly and in 40 seconds Martinelli did not score in penalty dominance but missed his shot, a sign of what was to come.
As the break approached, Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney passed Reece James on penalties and passed. Television revivals showed that James cut off Tierney’s back of his left foot and Arsenal’s defender seemed to fall to the ground easily.
“I felt a touch and I fell, but I never saw it again,” Tierney said.
But the VAR proved it was a foul, and Lacazette stepped forward, ran to the ball, stopped for a moment and then sent goalkeeper Edouard Mendy back on the way at 34.
Lacazette, Arsenal’s most sensible scorer in all competitions this season with six, celebrated drying his forehead with relief and smiling from ear to ear.
Just before halftime, Saka fired through N’Golo Kante for a loose kick. Xhaka, brand new to a three-match penalty for violent driving, hovered over the ball before sending a very good loose kick curved over the Chelsea wall with his left foot and in the most sensitive corner in ’44’.
Chelsea tried to make an early hole in the part of the moment after making a double substitution, but it lasted little.
Saka discovered his way to the right and only he will know if he intended a shot or a center, but the ball and Mendy sailed over his head to hit inside the pole at 56.
When asked if he came up with an opportunity, Saka simply replied with a smile: “Of course, man.
Chelsea showed spirit in the end, but it was too little, too late, and Jorginho’s missed penalty drove Arsenal’s defenders the extra five minutes of time to watch the game.
“It would have taken five minutes if that penalty had been imposed,” Tierney said.
___
More AP football: https://apnews. com/Soccer and https://twitter. com/AP_Sports