Premier, Arsenal-Newcastle 0-0, United-Bournemouth 3-0, De Zerbi’s Brighton win

No escape. Arsenal do not break through against the super defense of Newcastle, the best in the Premier League, and rise to +8 over City instead of +10, with the English champions who will play against Chelsea on Thursday to close the distances from the top of the class. The 0-0 final says that the Gunners remain dry in the league for the first time this season, they stop their streak of consecutive successes at the Emirates at 7: they tried, but they found a wall in front of them. And without the Magpies, third and increasingly revelation, asking their goalkeeper Pope for miracles.

THE KEYS

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Defense beats attack, then. It’s Newcastle’s strength, not conceding goals. It is no coincidence that the Magpies are at the 13th consecutive useful result: to drill them you have to make a damned effort. Even Arsenal noticed it, never before so struggling to find the goal. Not even Saka and Martinelli’s flicks on the wingers were needed, or Nketiah’s unsuccessful efforts, for the first time dry since he inherited the position of starting central striker from Gabriel Jesus. Arsenal made the game, both because they remain one step above and because Newcastle allowed them to, but they never broke through, also thanks to the match with more shadows than lights by Martin Ødegaard, pivot of Arteta’s team who had churned out 3 assists in the first two games after the break. The Gunners also needed a few more substitutions: Arteta made the only substitution half an hour into the second half, changing to right-back when he needed more attacking imagination. Gabriel Jesus’ injury at the World Cup has also created this problem, which only the market can solve: the agreement with Mudryk, the Shakhtar full-back who according to De Zerbi who coached him has the potential to win the ball gold, is in the pipeline. Newcastle would also need goals, who don’t score for the second game in a row: Howe however is about to recover his centre-forward, Alexander Isak, the most expensive signing of the sheikhs’ era who only played 3 games due to injury. It is also due to his return, as well as the consistency with which Newcastle have played throughout the season, that first Guardiola and then Arteta have indicated the Magpies as true contenders for the title: this equal to the Emirates only confirms what they are worth.

THE MATCH

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Arsenal create three chances to score before the 10th minute, but after the storm (the metaphorical one, given that it continues to pour over the Emirates) Newcastle put themselves well in defense and the match gets nervous, arriving at the break with 5 yellow cards but no goals. The yellows become 7 before the quarter of an hour of the second half and the match does not change the script: the super guest defense manages to curb the frenzy of the hosts. Arsenal tries until the end, even in five excited minutes of added time in which the Emirates turn against referee Madley, invoking the VAR for a hand in the area by Murphy: the referee doesn’t even need to see her again to the monitor to decide that it is not a penalty. And finish the match between two of the best teams the Premier League has to offer without a goal.

united ok

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Manchester United grabs Newcastle in the standings thanks to a 3-0 home win over Bournemouth. It is the fourth consecutive league success for the Red Devils who, for the occasion, welcome back the English international Maguire in the heart of defence. Eriksen’s right foot is inspired as always, especially on set pieces. In the 23rd minute Casemiro reads the trajectory of the Dane’s free-kick perfectly and doesn’t forgive with a splendid flying deflection. In the second half Shaw, who finds his role in the left lane, starts and ends the action that gives the home team the point to double. The jewel Garnacho, who replaced the injured van de Beek, is the author of the valuable assist. Rashford rounds off the score with his third point in the last three league games. Bournemouth are confirmed as the worst defense in the Premier League and continue to watch their backs frantically.

che de zerbi, everton ko

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De Zerbi’s Brighton jumps to eighth place in the standings thanks to a 4-1 win against Everton which exacerbates the crisis for Liverpool’s blues, in their third consecutive defeat at Goodison Park. At fifteen minutes Mitoma pounces on Caicedo’s hail, drinks Patterson and Coady with a couple of fake guesses and gives Pickford no chance. Then Ferguson takes the chair and spins Mitoma’s velvety touch on the post, finalizes the Ecuadorian plot woven by Estupiñan and Sarmiento on the net and completes the work by offering March the trio ball. The Seagulls are not satisfied and drop poker with Gross taking advantage of Gueye’s huge mistake. Gray’s penalty, already scored in the previous round against Manchester City, is cold consolation for the Toffeemen.

FULHAM CONFIRM

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The Fulham fairy tale doesn’t stop in Leicester. The Cottagers impose themselves for the third time in a row in the league by condemning Rodgers’ team to a third consecutive defeat. The decisive goal for the Londoners came in the 17th minute: Mitrovic blocked Willian’s throw from the chest and put his eleventh seal of the season in the Premier League by pushing the ball into the net with his left foot. After the two own goals against Liverpool, the Leicester centre-back Faes hasn’t recovered yet and lets himself be overtaken by the brushstroke of the Brazilian full-back, leaving the green light for Fulham’s top scorer.