LONDON (Reuters) – Arsenal added to the excitement of the Premier League title race by defeating the leading team, Liverpool, 3-1, reducing the gap between the two teams to just two points on Sunday.
Arsenal deserved the victory, even though they probably didn’t expect a helping hand from a defensive mix-up between Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, which allowed Gabriel Martinelli to regain their lead in the 67th minute.
Substitute Leandro Trossard then sealed the win in stoppage time with a shot through Alisson’s legs, calming any late nerves among the Arsenal fans at Emirates Stadium.
Bukayo Saka had initially given Arsenal the lead with a confident finish in the 14th minute, but a Gabriel own goal just before halftime undid all of their hard work.
As Liverpool was heading for only their second league defeat of the season, their frustrations boiled over, leading to Ibrahima Konate being sent off in the closing minutes for a second booking after a foul on Kai Havertz.
The victory lifted Arsenal to second place with 49 points, just two points behind Liverpool’s 51, with both clubs having played 23 games. Reigning champions Manchester City, who play on Monday, have 46 points from 21 games.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)
