Tag: Arsenal

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AUBAMEYANG, ELNENY ON TARGET AS ARSENAL PICKS MAXIMUM POINTS AT NEWCASTLE

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang marked his first Premier League appearance for almost a month by scoring in a 2-0 victory at Newcastle United.

Arsenal went ahead on five minutes when the Gabonese striker mishit his shot and the ball fell invitingly for Mohamed Elneny, who fired in his first PL goal.

Grant Xhaka’s 29th-minute shot was tipped over by Martin Dubravka before Elneny’s header was cleared off the line by Miguel Almiron from the resulting corner.

The Gunners’ pressure was rewarded on 66 minutes when Aubameyang acrobatically volleyed in a brilliant left-wing delivery from Gabriel Martinelli, meaning he has scored in five successive league matches versus Newcastle.

Fabian Schar was sent off for a challenge on Martinelli late on as Arsenal moved up to ninth in the table on 49 points, five adrift of the top six.

Newcastle remain 17th, nine points clear of the relegation zone with four matches remaining.

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NICOLAS PEPE AWAY GOAL GIVES 10-MAN ARSENAL HOPE IN NARROW DEFEAT TO VILLAREAL

Arsenal kept alive their hopes of reaching the Europa League final as a Nicolas Pepe penalty gave the 10-man visitors an away goal in defeat at Villarreal.

The first leg of this semi-final clash appeared to be getting away from the Gunners as first-half goals from Manuel Trigueros and Raul Albiol preceded a Dani Ceballos red card just before the hour.

But Pepe would convert from the spot to send Arsenal home with a 2-1 deficit, Villarreal having also been reduced to 10 men late on following the dismissal of former Tottenham man Etienne Capoue.

This is Arsenal’s third Europa League semi-final in four years but they have only made the final once in that time – under current Villarreal boss Unai Emery, who looked to be getting one over his former club as the hosts made a flying start.

Trigueros opened the scoring with just five minutes on the clock, driving home a low effort after indecision in the Arsenal box allowed Samuel Chukwueze to play in his team-mate.

Mikel Arteta was left ashen-faced as the lead was doubled before the half-hour, Albiol turning home at the back post as Arsenal failed to get anywhere near to a routine corner.

Pepe thought he had won a penalty after he was tripped inside the box but a VAR review deemed he had handled the ball in the build-up and the award was overturned.

The visitors failed to have a shot on target in the first half and could have been further behind if Bernd Leno had not made a fine stop to deny in-form Gerard Moreno.

But a red card for Ceballos, who was lucky not to pick up a second booking early in the second half, for standing on Dani Parejo looked to have Arteta’s men staring at elimination.

Instead they rallied and gave themselves hope of overturning the aggregate score next week at the Emirates Stadium.

Bukayo Saka broke into the Villarreal box and was caught by Trigueros, allowing Pepe to coolly slot home the resulting penalty.

When Capoue was then shown a second yellow card 10 minutes from time as he was taken off on a stretcher after fouling Saka, Arsenal even harboured hopes of an equaliser.

That was not to be, despite a late chance for returning captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but – given how the evening started – Arteta and his players will be pleased to still have a good chance of advancing to the final in Gdansk.

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ARSENAL OWNERS COMMITTED TO NOT SELLING CLUBS

Arsenal’s owners remain “100 per cent committed” to the club and will not entertain any offers to sell, with Spotify founder Daniel Ek considering a takeover bid.

Swedish billionaire Ek last week sent a tweet saying he would be interested in purchasing the Premier League club, which is owned by Stan Kroenke through his Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) business.

It was reported on Monday that Ek, 38, had begun to make inquiries over the weekend into the viability of a takeover bid and that former Gunners players Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira were all on board as part of his plan.

But any potential deal looks to have been scuppered following a staunch response from the Gunners’ American ownership, who say they have not received any bids.

“In recent days we have noted media speculation regarding a potential takeover bid for Arsenal Football Club,” read a KSE statement.

“We remain 100 per cent committed to Arsenal and are not selling any stake in the club.

“We have not received any offer and we will not entertain any offer.”

Arsenal were one of six Premier League clubs to sign up for a breakaway European Super League before quickly withdrawing as the project collapsed.

That sparked fresh protests against Kroenke’s ownership, with thousands of disgruntled supporters marching on the Emirates Stadium ahead of Friday’s top-flight defeat to Everton.

“Our ambition for Arsenal remains to compete to win the biggest trophies in the game and our focus remains on improving our competitiveness on the pitch to achieve this,” concluded the statement.

The Gunners are 10th in the Premier League with five games remaining, 12 points outside the top four.

The defeat to Everton was their seventh in 17 top-flight games at the Emirates this season.

Mikel Arteta’s team are in the semi-finals of the Europa League and play the first leg of their tie against Villarreal in Spain on Thursday.

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SPOTIFY FOUNDER SEEKING $4 BILLION ARSENAL TAKE OVER

Spotify founder Daniel Ek is mulling over a takeover bid for Arsenal which could reportedly also involve former players Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira.

Owned by American billionaire Stan Kroenke, Arsenal were one of six Premier League clubs to sign up for a breakaway European Super League last week before quickly withdrawing from the process.

That led to new protests against Kroenke’s ownership, with thousands of supporters marching on the Emirates Stadium ahead of Friday’s Premier League defeat to Everton.

Just before kick-off, Swedish billionaire Ek sent a tweet saying he would be interested in purchasing the club should Kroenke be willing to sell.

It was then reported on Monday that Ek, 38, had begun to make inquiries over the weekend into the viability of a takeover bid and that Henry, Bergkamp and Vieira were all on board as part of his plan.

Kroenke is thought to want at least $3.85 billion if he is to consider selling the club he has run since April 2011.

Any deal may be extremely difficult to do given Josh Kroenke, the club director and Stan Kroenke’s son, reinforced at a fans’ forum last week that his family have “no intention” of walking away.

“I still believe we’re fit to carry on in our positions as custodians of Arsenal,” he said, pledging to build trust between the ownership and support.

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EDDIE NKETIAH LATE STRIKE RESCUES POINT FOR GUNNERS AGAINST FULHAM

Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah came off the bench to score a last-gasp equaliser against Fulham – whose Premier League survival bid suffered another late blow as a result.

Scott Parker’s side lost to a last-minute goal to Wolves last time out but appeared on course for a first-ever away win over Arsenal following Josh Maja’s second-half penalty.

Instead, it was further heartbreak as Nketiah scrambled in from point-blank range to earn the misfiring Gunners a 1-1 draw.

Mikel Arteta made five changes from Arsenal side which cruised into the semi-finals of the Europa League with a 4-0 win at Slavia Prague on Thursday but they never looked like hitting those heights here.

But there would be VAR controversy throughout, Dani Ceballos seeing a header ruled out after Bukayo Saka had been centimetres offside in the build-up.

Then Fulham would get their penalty as referee Craig Pawson pointed to the spot on the advice of his assistant, with VAR checking Gabriel Magalhaes’ foul on Mario Lemina and then a potential offside against Ola Aina in the move leading to the spot-kick.

With both decisions standing, it was left to Maja to hammer the ball home from 12 yards and give Fulham renewed optimism of avoiding the drop.

Nketiah’s eventual leveller would stand after an offside check against Rob Holding in the build-up, with Parker exasperated on the touchline once again.

The hosts had started well, Alexandre Lacazette playing in Gabriel Martinelli with the recalled striker chipping his effort just wide.

He then forced a low save out of Alphonse Areloa after Emile Smith Rowe had forced a low ball across goal.

Fulham offered nothing going forward until the 20-minute mark when a deflected Maja shot wrong-footed home debutant Mat Ryan in the Arsenal goal and trickled inches wide of the post.

Arsenal had started well but were soon toiling to break down a stubborn Fulham defence.

The hosts thought they had finally broken through when Ceballos headed in a Hector Bellerin cross – only for VAR to spot Saka’s straying boot.

The assistant referee’s flag would soon deny Arsenal another goal, this time with a more-obvious decision against Smith Rowe, who mistimed his run as he latched onto a Lacazette pass.

Lacazette pulled a shot wide right at the start of the second half but Arsenal would again struggle to create chances.

That would come back to haunt them as Fulham were awarded a penalty, with referee Pawson pointing to the spot after guidance from his assistant.

Two VAR checks later and Maja broke the deadlock, giving Ryan no chance from the spot.

Arteta turned to Nicolas Pepe and Thomas Partey, the former coming close to levelling with his first meaningful touch as his header across goal was hacked clear.

Lacazette was then replaced by Nketiah, the France striker heading straight down the tunnel with his shirt over his head.

It would be Nketiah who provided the late heroics as Arsenal threw everything they could to earn a share of the spoils.

Ryan was thrown into the Fulham box for back-to-back late corners and got a telling glance to the second as the ball broke to Ceballos, whose shot was fumbled away by Areola but into the path of the waiting Nketiah.

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ARSENAL WHIP SLAVIA PRAGUE TO REACH EUROPA LEAGUE SEMIS

English football club Arsenal thrashed their Czech opponents Slavia Prague 4-0 Thursday to book a place in the UEFA Europa League semifinals.

Arsenal clinched the huge victory in the Europa League quarterfinals second leg in Prague with goals scored by Ivorian forward Nicolas Pepe in the 18th minute, French forward Alexandre Lacazette in the 21st and 77th minutes and English midfielder Bukayo Saka in the 24th minute.

Arsenal won 5-1 on aggregate to advance to the semifinal stage as the first leg at its Emirates Stadium in London ended in a 1-1 draw.

Meanwhile, Arsenal’s Gabonese forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed the Slavia Prague match as he has been suffering from malaria.

“Unfortunately, I contracted Malaria whilst being on national team duty in Gabon a few weeks ago. I’ve spent a few days in hospital this week but I’m already feeling much better every day, thanks to the great doctors that detected and treated the virus so quickly,” Aubameyang said on Instagram.

Arsenal will face Spain’s Villarreal in the semifinal.

In the other semifinal, English club Manchester United will take on Italy’s Roma.

The 2021 Europa League final will be played at Poland’s Gdansk Stadium in Gdansk on May 26.

This stadium hosted four games during the UEFA EURO 2012; three group matches and a quarterfinal in the 2012 European football championship co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine.

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ARSENAL AND SCOTLAND’S KIERAN TIERNEY’S OUT FOR SIX WEEKS

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has refused to say whether Kieran Tierney will play again this season after he suffered knee ligament damage during Saturday’s Premier League defeat to Liverpool.

The Scotland full-back limped off before half-time and the club announced on Wednesday that he may be sidelined for up to six weeks.

But speaking ahead of Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final first-leg tie at home to Slavia Prague, Arteta would not be drawn on when he believes Tierney will return.

“We have to make sure first that he doesn’t need any surgery, which it doesn’t look like,” he said.

“The timeframe will be that (up to six weeks). It could have been worse because the action looks quite scary, but he looks a bit better and the damage was not that bad, so at the end of the day it is not the bad news we could have been waiting for.

“We are going to have to go day by day and see how Kieran is feeling, then when he gets close to playing time and how he is feeling we will make that decision.”

Asked if he thinks Tierney will be fit for Scotland at the rearranged European Championship finals, Arteta added: “It will depend how things evolve again in the next few weeks.”

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DIOGO JOTA SCORES BRACE AS LIVERPOOL OUTCLASS ARSENAL TO BOOST TOP FOUR HOPES

Substitute Diogo Jota scored twice as Liverpool showed they remain one of the best sides in the Premier League by completely outclassing Arsenal to win 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium.

Manchester City’s win at Leicester earlier in the day meant Liverpool’s hopes of retaining their title are now mathematically over after a season of mixed performances, poor results and terrible injury problems.

But Jurgen Klopp’s side were at their scintillating best, dominating an Arsenal side missing a number of their own key players to secure victory courtesy of a brace from Jota either side of a Mohamed Salah strike.

This was Mikel Arteta’s 50th Premier League fixture in charge of Arsenal and before the game he called for the Gunners to take the game to Liverpool, having won the corresponding fixture last year with a mixture of guile, guts and luck.

But Liverpool were on top from the get-go as the visitors showed their class – specifically in midfield where Thiago and Fabinho were at their best.

Arsenal sorely missed their injured quartet of David Luiz, Granit Xhaka, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe – who would have all been likely starters on what would prove to be a galling night for the FA Cup holders.

James Milner came into the Liverpool side and dragged an early shot wide, as did Fabinho.

Sadio Mane then saw a header saved before fit-again Roberto Firmino shot just off target, with the home side unable to keep hold of the ball for any meaningful length of time.

Milner should have scored when picked out free on the edge of the penalty area but sent his effort wide, while Arsenal’s evening was summed up when Kieran Tierney limped off injured just before the break.

The second half would begin in a similar vein with Liverpool again the dominant force. Arteta reacted by introducing Mohamed Elneny in place of the ineffectual Dani Ceballos.

But it would be Liverpool’s first alteration which would prove inspired as Jota replaced Andrew Robertson just after the hour and broke the deadlock with his first chance.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – who had been in the news since failing to make the cut for Gareth Southgate’s England squad – delivered a pinpoint cross that was headed home by Jota as the Reds finally made their dominance pay.

The lead would be doubled soon after, Salah coolly slotting home through the legs of Bernd Leno after proving too strong for Gabriel Magalhaes.

Salah almost had a second as he latched on to a defence-splitting pass from Thiago, with Leno this time staying big and blocking the strike.

Jota turned home the third after Gabriel had gifted Liverpool possession with an errant pass from inside his own box.

A simple win for Klopp’s men saw them move to within two points of the top four, while Arsenal’s dwindling hopes of securing European qualification through their league position suffered yet another blow.

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LACAZZETE HELP GUNNERS FIGHT BACK IN A DRAMATIC 3-3 DRAW AT WESTHAM

Alexandre Lacazette scored a late header as Arsenal fought back from 3-0 down to claim an entertaining 3-3 draw at West Ham United.

The Gunners were three goals down after only 32 minutes.

Jesse Lingard spectacularly drove West Ham’s opener high into the net on 15 minutes. Less than two minutes later, he took a quick free-kick to Jarrod Bowen, who drove the ball inside the near post for the second.

Tomas Soucek added a third when he diverted a Michail Antonio header past goalkeeper Bernd Leno, but before half-time the Czech midfielder deflected Lacazette’s shot into his own net to give the visitors hope.

Michael Dawson turned Calum Chambers’ cross into his own net for Arsenal’s second on 61 minutes, before Antonio hit the post from a Said Benrahma pass from close range.

Lacazette completed the comeback with eight minutes left when he headed in substitute Nicolas Pepe’s right-wing cross at the far post.

West Ham stay fifth on 49 points. Arsenal move up to ninth on 42, ahead of Aston Villa, who play Tottenham Hotspur tonight.

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UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE: ARSENAL ADVANCE DESPITE HOME DEFEAT TO OLYMPIACOS

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed a number of clear-cut chances as the Gunners made heavy weather of progressing to the Europa League quarter-finals against 10-man Olympiacos.

Holding a 3-1 victory from the first leg in Greece, a poor display saw Mikel Arteta’s side lose 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium but advance on aggregate.

Arteta opted to recall Aubameyang after axing his captain for the north London derby win over Tottenham four days earlier following a breach in pre-match protocol.

But the skipper would pass up a number of opportunities to kill off the tie, with Youssef El-Arabi scoring in a third successive game against Arsenal to earn the Greek champions victory on the night despite the dismissal of Ousseynou Ba.

It had been a similar story in the round of 32 meeting between the sides last year, El-Arabi scoring the last-minute goal to send Olympiacos through as Aubameyang missed a sitter with virtually the last kick of the game.

Thankfully for Arsenal, the work had been done a week earlier in Athens this time around but Arteta will know they need to be much better in the next round if they are to keep alive their hopes of lifting the Europa League.

Arsenal created the better chances of a dull first half, Nicolas Pepe bursting through on goal and taking the ball around Jose Sa – but his effort was just about cleared behind for a corner by former Arsenal defender Sokartis Papastathopoulos.

At the other end, Bernd Leno was called into action for the first time as a long goal-kick completely wrong-footed the Arsenal defence with El-Arabi seeing his shot saved.

The hosts should have taken the lead at the midway point of the first-half, Aubameyang exchanging passes with Dani Ceballos before firing over.

Olympiacos would open the scoring after coming out for the second half on the attack.

El-Arabi would again be the man to get the goal as he converted past Leno with the aid of a deflection off Gabriel Magalhaes.

Arteta reacted by replacing Mohamed Elneny and Ceballos with Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard.

But the first hour of the game was summed up when Kieran Tierney’s low cross was hammered goalwards by Pepe – only for it to cannon up and over off the head of Emile Smith Rowe.

Arsenal were suddenly all at sea, giving away possession in their own half, unable to make forward passes in more dangerous positions and struggling to go toe to toe with a side they comfortably beat last week.

When they did break through on goal, they were wasteful – Odegaard ballooning over a good opportunity to level on the night.

Not for the first time, Aubameyang then missed a glorious chance, bursting free from the half-way line but poking a chipped effort well wide of the target.

The Olympiacos bench had been noisy all evening but was apoplectic when referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande sent off Ba with a little under 10 minutes to go.

The defender caught Arsenal substitute Gabriel Martinelli with a stray arm to earn a caution – with the second yellow following straight after as he protested against the initial decision.

Ba watched on from the tunnel, visibly upset and being consoled by backroom staff.

Aubameyang meanwhile, continued to miss good chances, seeing a flick from six yards saved before acrobatically volleying the rebound over the top.

Arsenal saw out the remainder of the game to advance, but it was not the sort of performance to appease Arteta.