Arsenal close in on EPL table toppers Leicester after Welbeck’s last-gap winner News

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Arsenal close in on EPL table toppers Leicester after Welbeck’s last-gap winner

By Daily Sports on February 14, 2016

Danny Welbeck’s last-gasp winner saw Arsenal come from behind to defeat 10-man Leicester City 2-1 at Emirates Stadium, moving them to within two points of the leaders in the Barclays Premier League title race.

Jamie Vardy won and converted a penalty on the stroke of half-time, but Danny Simpson was sent off for a second booking early in the second half.

The Gunners capitalised when substitute Theo Walcott equalised with 20 minutes remaining and sealed a dramatic victory through the returning Welbeck, off the bench to make his first appearance since April, as he headed home in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

We gave absolutely everything to win, says Wenger

Leicester’s defeat is only their third of the league campaign, while Arsenal’s second straight victory puts them within striking distance of the top of the table ahead of the meeting between title rivals Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal had a half-hearted penalty claim turn down after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross struck the arm of N’Golo Kante from close range, but it was the visitors – unchanged for the sixth straight match – who created the first major opportunity.

Marc Albrighton delivered a threatening cross from the right channel and Vardy got up at the back post to head towards the bottom corner, but Petr Cech reacted superbly to get down and save.

Welbeck savours ‘beautiful feeling’ of late winner

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud was correctly denied by an offside flag after heading in Mesut Ozil’s inviting cross, while Cech clawed away a curling attempt from Kante that was swerving dangerously towards the top corner in an end-to-end encounter.

Leicester made the breakthrough in the last minute of the first half when a trademark counter-attack led to Vardy being clumsily brought down by Nacho Monreal in the corner of the box.

Vardy took the penalty himself and hammered his attempt into the bottom-right corner, sending Cech the wrong way for his 19th top-flight goal of the season.

Arsenal, already without the injured Gabriel, had to replace Laurent Koscielny at half-time as Calum Chambers came on and they were relieved to see the visitors have a penalty claim turned down when Riyad Mahrez went down under pressure from Monreal.

The match took a turn in the 54th minute when Simpson was shown a second yellow card for tugging back Giroud, just five minutes after fouling Alexis Sanchez to pick up his initial booking – the first time Leicester had been reduced to 10 men in the league this season.

It was Arsenal’s first shot on target that gave them the equaliser. Hector Bellerin’s cross from the right was cleverly headed on by Giroud and Walcott beat Kasper Schmeichel with a cool finish nine minutes after coming on.

Danny Drinkwater was fortunate not to be penalised for a high challenge on Aaron Ramsey a few moments later, before Welbeck made his comeback from the substitutes’ bench.

Arsenal pressed hard for a late winner, with Per Mertesacker heading inches wide and Giroud being thwarted by an excellent reflex save from Schmeichel.

And the breakthrough arrived when Ozil’s perfectly flighted free-kick was converted by Welbeck, sending the home crowd wild.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: “It keeps us in it with many other teams. There is a long way to a go and we play a lot of big teams.

“We came out of a bad spell after four games without a win – we now win two games on the bounce. To still be in the fight after that spell is good and hopefully the result strengthens the belief of the team.

“We have a good chance. It was a pivotal moment because the mathematics meant it could be eight points or it could be two points and that is a great change.”

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri: “We want to fight match after match. We know the matches are hard. Now there are so many teams who want to win the league like Arsenal or want to avoid being relegated. Every match is different and tough.

“It was a fantastic match, very fast. We know Arsenal are a fantastic team, they move the ball very quickly and are full of skill, but we had to concentrate.

“We tried to counter-attack, have a fast transition and we controlled the match very well. They scored with the last chance. They were smarter than us and that is football.

“We showed a good performance, it is our third defeat in the Premier League. It is good, we are still top of the table, got two points more – we have to fight, carry on and smile.” (premierleague.com)

•Photo shows Danny Welbeck heading home a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Leicester . . . this afternoon at the Emirate Stadium.

Source Daily Sports

Posted February 14, 2016