Arsenal To Host Wigan As Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City Draw Revealed In FA Cup Fourth Round

Arsenal, who currently top the Premier League, will take on League One side and former FA Cup winners Wigan Athletic in the fourth round of the competition. The Gunners booked their spot after a 4-1 comeback victory over Portsmouth on Sunday, with Gabriel Martinelli netting a hat-trick. Chelsea will face Hull City on the road following their win against Charlton Athletic in Liam Rosenior’s first game as the Blues’ manager. Liverpool, if they get past League One side Barnsley, will host Brighton at Anfield. Brighton famously knocked out Manchester United in the third round. Aston Villa and Newcastle are set for a Premier League showdown at Villa Park, promising a thrilling clash in the fourth round. Manchester City will enjoy another home tie, facing either League Two’s Salford City or Swindon Town after their dominant 10-1 victory over League One Exeter City. Other notable ties include Stoke City vs Fulham, Southampton vs Leicester, and Birmingham City vs Leeds United. Full FA Cup fourth-round draw: Liverpool or Barnsley vs Brighton Stoke City vs Fulham Oxford United vs Sunderland Southampton vs Leicester Wrexham vs Ipswich Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic Hull City vs Chelsea Burton Albion vs West Ham Burnley vs Mansfield Town Norwich City vs West Brom Port Vale vs Bristol City Grimsby Town vs Wolves Aston Villa vs Newcastle Manchester City vs Salford or Swindon Macclesfield vs Brentford Birmingham City vs Leeds United

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Arsenal Miss Chance To Extend Premier League Lead After Goalless Draw With Liverpool

Arsenal were held to a 0-0 draw by Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday, missing the opportunity to stretch their Premier League lead to eight points. Liverpool, who have struggled for consistency this season, produced a composed performance that ended Arsenal’s five-match winning streak. The closest either side came to breaking the deadlock was when Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley cleverly chipped Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya following a mix-up with center back William Saliba, only for the ball to bounce off the crossbar. Arsenal managed just four shots on target and looked unusually disjointed, leaving home fans frustrated. Despite the setback, the Gunners still head the table, maintaining a six-point advantage over second-place Manchester City and third-place Aston Villa with 17 games remaining. Both City and Villa drew on Wednesday against Brighton and Crystal Palace, respectively, keeping Arsenal strong favorites for their first league title since 2004. Liverpool remain in fourth place, extending their unbeaten league run to 10 games. The defending champions looked more solid at the back but lacked firepower up front, missing injured strikers Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, while Mohamed Salah is away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. Adding to their concerns, Bradley had to be carried off on a stretcher in stoppage time with a suspected ankle injury, casting a shadow over Liverpool’s performance.

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Arsenal Hold Off Bournemouth 3-2 To Extend Premier League Lead To Six Points

Arsenal edged Bournemouth 3-2 in Saturday’s late Premier League clash to extend their lead at the top to six points. The Gunners went into the match aware that Aston Villa had moved into second place following a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest. Bournemouth struck first after Gabriel’s pass was intercepted, allowing Evanilson to fire them ahead. Gabriel redeemed himself shortly after, leveling the score just six minutes later. After the break, Arsenal surged ahead as Declan Rice scored twice to put the Gunners in control. Bournemouth’s Kroupi Jr pulled one back, but Arsenal held firm to secure the victory and all three points.

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Arsenal Thrash Aston Villa 4-1 To Go Five Points Clear At The Top

Arsenal moved five points clear at the summit of the Premier League after a dominant second-half performance swept aside Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium, bringing the visitors’ eight-match league winning streak to an emphatic end. Villa, managed by former Arsenal boss Unai Emery, threatened to spoil the party early on and looked the sharper side before the interval. A win would have pulled them level on points with the Gunners, and their energy in midfield caused problems, particularly with Declan Rice absent. Morgan Rogers and Amadou Onana repeatedly found space through the centre as Arsenal took time to settle. Clear chances were scarce in the opening half, but the match shifted dramatically after the restart as Mikel Arteta’s side turned on the style. The breakthrough came when Gabriel reacted quickest from a corner, bundling the ball home after Emiliano Martínez failed to command his six-yard box. The Emirates erupted again moments later as Martin Ødegaard slid a precise pass into the path of Martin Zubimendi, who arrived perfectly to poke in Arsenal’s second. With Villa reeling, Arsenal pressed harder. Leandro Trossard made it three with a composed finish from the edge of the area, before substitute Gabriel Jesus added a fourth almost immediately after coming on, smashing in with his first meaningful touch. The goal marked Jesus’ first since January and underlined Arsenal’s growing attacking depth. Kai Havertz’s return to the bench after a lengthy absence further boosted the home side, while their defensive resilience remained intact deep into the contest. David Raya produced a stunning late save to deny John McGinn from point-blank range, though Villa eventually grabbed a consolation when Ollie Watkins scored from close range after Donyell Malen struck the post. The result capped a statement performance from Arsenal, who head toward the new year with momentum, firepower and a firm grip on the title race.

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Odegaard Scores As Arsenal Beat Brighton 2-1 To Reclaim Top Spot

Martin Odegaard scored his first Premier League goal of the season as Arsenal held on for a tense 2-1 victory over Brighton, reclaiming the top spot in the table. The Gunners, who had slipped to second after Manchester City’s win over Nottingham Forest earlier on Saturday, opened the scoring when Bart Verbruggen’s goal-kick was intercepted, allowing Bukayo Saka to set up captain Odegaard, who calmly finished from the edge of the box. Despite dominating the first half—registering 15 shots, five on target, and keeping Brighton off the scoresheet—Arsenal’s one-goal lead at halftime barely reflected their superiority. Seven minutes into the second half, Arsenal doubled their advantage when makeshift right-back Declan Rice delivered a corner that Georginio Rutter inadvertently flicked into his own net, marking the fourth own goal to go Arsenal’s way in their last four matches. Brighton, however, fought back. Yasin Ayari’s effort, Brighton’s first on target, struck the post before Diego Gomez pounced on the rebound to pull one back. The introduction of winger Yankuba Minteh at halftime injected pace and threat into Brighton’s attack, forcing Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya into a brilliant save to keep out Minteh’s curling effort that was destined for the top corner, ensuring Arsenal secured all three points.

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Arsenal Beat Crystal Palace On Penalties To Reach EFL Cup Semi-Finals

Arsenal advanced to the EFL Cup semi-finals for the second year in a row after edging Crystal Palace on penalties following a 1-1 draw. The scoring began late in normal time when Maxence Lacroix inadvertently turned William Saliba’s effort into his own net in the 81st minute. Palace responded in stoppage time, with Marc Guéhi finishing Jefferson Lerma’s knock-down in the six-yard box to level the score. Both teams started brightly, with Tyrick Mitchell firing wide for Palace and Noni Madueke forcing a low save from Walter Benítez. Benítez was also called into action to deny a goal-bound header from Gabriel Jesus. After the break, Palace looked more threatening, with Jefferson Lerma heading over and Adam Wharton’s long-range effort narrowly missing. The match went to a tense penalty shootout, where Kepa Arrizabalaga kept out Lacroix’s spot-kick, giving Arsenal an 8-7 shootout victory. Mikel Arteta’s side will now face Chelsea in a two-legged semi-final across January and February.

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Arsenal Edge Everton 1-0 To Reclaim Premier League Top Spot

Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium, in a game far from their most fluent display. The Gunners were under pressure after Manchester City had briefly overtaken them with a comfortable win over West Ham United earlier in the day, making the trip to Mikel Arteta’s former club a must-win. The decisive moment came in the 27th minute when Everton defender Jake O’Brien handled Declan Rice’s corner in the penalty area. Viktor Gyokores converted the spot-kick emphatically, extending his perfect record in league penalties to 19 from 19 since the start of the 2023-24 season. Arsenal created more chances in the second half, with Leandro Trossard and Martin Zubimendi both hitting the woodwork, but the penalty proved enough to secure the three points. David Raya and the Arsenal defence were rarely troubled despite Everton’s spirited efforts. Everton were without key attackers Iliman Ndiaye, away at the Africa Cup of Nations, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, out with a hamstring injury, leaving the side light on creativity and goals. Thierno Barry and Beto offered little threat, and the team’s lack of a reliable striker remains an issue for the January transfer window. The home side felt hard done by late on when they appealed for a penalty after William Saliba appeared to trip Barry, but VAR ruled no foul had occurred. Dwight McNeil, Tyler Dibling, and Jack Grealish had minimal impact, adding to Everton’s frustration in front of a lively crowd. The result puts Arsenal two points clear of Manchester City and six ahead of third-placed Aston Villa, sending a clear message that while their performance lacked polish, their title ambitions remain very much alive.

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Emirates Late Drama: Own Goal Secures 2-1 Win Over Wolves To Keep Us Top Of Premier League

An own goal deep into second-half stoppage time secured a dramatic 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Emirates Stadium, keeping us top of the Premier League. After a subdued first half, we came alive after the break, testing Wolves keeper Johnstone with several efforts before taking the lead on 70 minutes. Bukayo Saka’s corner hit the post and deflected off the visiting goalkeeper into the net. As the match approached full time, Wolves struck back. Tolu Arokodare’s header leveled the score, threatening a repeat of recent late collapses against Sunderland and Aston Villa. But in the 94th minute, Yerson Mosquera inadvertently redirected another Saka corner past Johnstone, securing a priceless victory and stretching our lead at the summit to five points. First Half Frustration Fans may have expected a straightforward scoring display for the league leaders against a side struggling at the foot of the table, but the opening 45 minutes were largely cagey. Our first meaningful chance saw Jurrien Timber nod over from close range, with Viktor Gyokeres arguably better positioned to test Johnstone. Wolves then broke quickly, allowing Hwang Hee-Chan a 50-yard run and shot that David Raya managed to block. In the chase, Ben White suffered a muscle injury, forcing Myles Lewis-Skelly on in the 30th minute. Gabriel Martinelli had three opportunities to break the deadlock but failed to capitalize—heading wide, seeing a shot blocked, and then poking one past the post. Despite our dominance, we entered half-time without a shot on target. Wolves, meanwhile, had a late chance of their own, only denied by a crucial Piero Hincapie sliding block. Stroke of Fortune The breakthrough finally came on 70 minutes. Saka curled a corner toward goal, which struck the far post and bounced off Johnstone into the net, ending a 46-year wait to score against Wolves under these circumstances. After taking the lead, we pressed for a second, with Martin Ødegaard, Leandro Trossard, and Mikel Merino introduced to add fresh impetus. Ødegaard forced a side-netting effort, Gyokeres’ turned shot narrowly missed, and Trossard’s close-range attempt skimmed past the post. Double Late Drama Wolves launched a late fightback, and in the 90th minute, Matheus Mane’s cross found Arokodare, whose header beat Raya to level the score. Just when it seemed we might drop points again, Saka’s corner in the 94th minute caused chaos in the box. Gabriel Jesus pressured Mosquera, whose deflection found the net, sending the Emirates into euphoria and securing a vital three points. The win kept us atop the table and marked another thrilling example of our resilience in the dying moments of games.

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