Premier League: Arsenal 0 West Ham 1 (Bowen 44)
Ten-man Arsenal’s Premier League title bid was dealt a major blow after they suffered a torrid 1-0 defeat against West Ham at the Emirates.
Jarrod Bowen scored what would prove to be the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time before Gunners substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off with 18 minutes remaining.
Even before Lewis-Skelly’s dismissal – upgraded from a yellow card following a VAR intervention after the teenager denied Mohammed Kudus a clear scoring opportunity – Arsenal’s failure to sign a striker during last month’s transfer window had been brutally exposed.
Makeshift forward Mikel Merino was tasked with leading the line, but the Gunners managed only two shots on target on a chastening afternoon for Mikel Arteta and his players.
The defeat, Arsenal’s first in the league in four months, leaves them eight points adrift of Liverpool, who face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Aston Villa 2 (Asensio 57, 89) Chelsea 1 (Fernandez 9)
Aston 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 2-1 in a breathless match at Villa Park.
Villa climbed to seventh in the league table on 42 points, one point behind Chelsea who fell to sixth.
The visitors drew first blood when Pedro Neto drove the ball down the right on the break before whipping in a cross that Enzo Fernandez slotted home from close range.
Both sides had numerous near misses before Asensio bundled in a cross from half-time substitute Rashford in the 57th minute. Asensio slotted home another Rashford cross for the 89th-minute winner thanks to a big blunder by Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, who let the shot pass under his body.
Both Asensio and Rashford joined Villa on loan earlier this month, Asensio from Paris Saint-Germain and Rashford from Manchester United.
Other games
Ipswich were cut further adrift from safety as they were crushed 4-1 by Tottenham at Portman Road.
Brennan Johnson set Spurs up for victory with a first-half double, both created by the dangerous Son Heung-min.
Omari Hutchinson pulled one back but Djed Spence and Dejan Kulusevski made the result certain late on.
Wolves moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win over high-flying Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
The Cherries were reduced to 10 men when Illia Zabarnyi was dismissed after just 31 minutes and Wolves took advantage as in-form Matheus Cunha scored what proved the winner five minutes later.
Bottom side Southampton were thrashed 4-0 by Brighton, who scored through Joao Pedro, Georginio Rutter, Kaoru Mitoma and Jack Hinshelwood.
Crystal Palace won 2-0 at Fulham after an own goal from Joachim Andersen and a further strike from Daniel Munoz.
