Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck twice as Arsenal climbed back into contention to qualify for Europe next season with a 4-0 thrashing of Norwich, while Leicester’s slide continued in a 2-1 defeat at Everton yesterday.
Aubameyang moved alongside Jamie Vardy as the Premier League’s top scorer on 19 goals on a night of contrasting fortunes for the Golden Boot contenders.
Amid speculation that Aubameyang wants to leave north London at the end of the season, he underlined just how important he is to Arsenal’s chances of success under Mikel Arteta. Aubameyang now has 51 Premier League goals in 79 appearances — and 63 in all competitions — since his move from Borussia Dortmund in 2018. The 31-year-old’s dash to the half-century beat the previous Arsenal record of 50 goals in 83 games set by Thierry Henry. Arsenal are up to seventh place, six points behind sixth-placed Wolves, as they try to secure Europa League qualification.
Having reached the FA Cup semi-finals last weekend, Arsenal’s third successive win in all competitions maintained their revival after losing their first two games of the restart. Norwich, beaten in all three league matches since the restart, are six points from safety and have just six games left to avoid relegation to the Championship. Matteo Guendouzi, out of favour with Arteta after some petulant behaviour on and off the pitch, and Mesut Ozil, exiled by the Gunners boss and also suffering from back soreness, were again absent from Arsenal’s squad.
But after four successive away games since the restart, Arsenal were back home at the Emirates Stadium for the first time since March 7 and Aubameyang welcomed the return to familiar surroundings. Norwich captain Tim Krul did his side no favours by gifting the opener to Aubameyang when he was caught trying to dribble past the Gabon international.
Aubameyang turned provider for Granit Xhaka to make it 2-0 before half-time and was then handed another gift when Norwich striker Josip Drmic teed him up to make it 3-0.
Cedric Soares signed a four-year deal at the Emirates last week without having played a minute for the Gunners since joining on loan from Southampton in January. But the Portuguese right-back made his debut one to remember with a long-range strike nine minutes from time to round off the scoring.
Leicester are headed in the opposite direction as their winless run since English football’s restart from the coronavirus pandemic stretched to four games. Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson’s penalty gave Everton the perfect start at Goodison Park.
The Toffees are yet to lose at home under Carlo Ancelotti and they held on in the second half for a vital three points for their own ambitions of European football next season. Kelechi Iheanacho’s fortunate goal as the ball ricocheted in off his face reduced Leicester’s arrears and they pressed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages.
Michael Keane’s clearance off the line spared Jordan Pickford’s blushes after another huge error from the England number one. However, defeat means Leicester could drop to fourth should Chelsea win at West Ham late last night and the Foxes are now just three points clear of Manchester United and Wolves in the battle for a place in the Champions League next season.
At the bottom of the table, Bournemouth also suffered a huge blow in their battle to beat the drop with a humiliating 4-1 home defeat by Newcastle.
Dwight Gayle, Sean Longstaff, Miguel Almiron and Valentino Lozaro were on target for the Magpies, who were not distracted by the ongoing uncertainty around the club over a proposed Saudi takeover. Bournemouth remain in the bottom three and the margin of defeat could also prove costly as they drop below Aston Villa on goal difference into 19th.
Premier League results
Arsenal 4 (Aubameyang 33, 67, Xhaka 37, Cedric 81) Norwich 0; Bournemouth 1 (Gosling 90) Newcastle 4 (Gayle 5, S.Longstaff 30, Almiron 57, Lazaro 77); Everton 2 (Richarlison 10, Sigurdsson 16-pen) Leicester 1 (Iheanacho 51)
Today’s matches: Sheffield United v Tottenham (1700 GMT), Manchester City v Liverpool (1900 GMT)
Arsenal’s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores against Norwich City at the Emirates Stadium in London. (AFP)
