London, Feb 23: Arsenal’s failure to sign a prolific striker might have cost the team the chance to win the Premier League title.
Frequently collecting red cards hasn’t helped, either.
Second-place Arsenal was unexpectedly beaten 1-0 at home by West Ham on Saturday to dent its title challenge, just when it seemed Liverpool was starting to look vulnerable.
The result left Liverpool with an eight-point lead, having played the same number of games as Arsenal, and that advantage could grow when the Reds play Manchester City away on Sunday.
Jarrod Bowen’s 44th-minute header secured a win for West Ham, which arrived at Emirates Stadium with just one victory in its last eight games.
There was worse to come for Arsenal, with left back Myles Lewis-Skelly handed a red card in the 73rd following a video review for his foul on Mohammed Kudus as the last man.
It was Arsenal’s fifth red card of the campaign – two more than any other team – and its disciplinary record under Arteta is understandably coming under scrutiny, given it has contributed to valuable dropped points this season.
Maybe a bigger annoyance to fans is the club’s decision to not sign a proven out-and-out striker either last offseason or in the winter transfer window.
With forwards Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus all out injured, Arsenal had only two shots on target against West Ham.
“I am very disappointed, and obviously very angry as well,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.
“Even though we had 20 shots, I never felt that we were at the standard and the level that we needed.
“We have to be (angry), and I hope we are because we didn’t hit the levels today, and I am very much responsible for that so I am very, very angry.”
Chelsea lose after
goalkeeper error
A huge late mistake from Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen proved costly as Aston Villa came from behind to win 2-1 in a match between two teams chasing Champions League qualification.
Jörgensen, only playing after a number of recent errors by first-choice keeper Robert Sanchez, somehow let a shot from Marco Asensio squirm out of his grasp and over the line in the 89th minute at Villa Park.
That was Asensio’s second goal of the game. He had scored the equalizer in the 57th after being set up by fellow new signing Marcus Rashford, who also provided the cross for the winner.
Enzo Fernandez put Chelsea ahead in the ninth minute.
Villa climbed to seventh, a point and a place behind Chelsea with England almost guaranteed to be getting five qualification places for next season’s Champions League.
Bournemouth slip up
Fifth-place Bournemouth, which is on the same points as Chelsea, lost 1-0 at home to Wolverhampton to damage its bid for Champions League qualification.
Bournemouth defender Illya Zabarnyi’s 31st-minute red card was quickly followed by the winning goal by Matheus Cunha for Wolves.
Tottenham beat Ipswich 4-1 for a third straight league win to further ease the pressure on Ange Postecoglou, last-place Southampton lost 4-0 at home to Brighton, and Crystal Palace won 2-0 at Fulham. (AP)
