Arsenal strike late to boost Champions League hopes
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ByEurosport
Updated 26/04/2017 at 22:52 GMT
Premier League, The Emirates – Arsenal 1 (Huth, 86 (OG)) Leicester 0
Arsenal's Spanish defender Nacho Monreal celebrates after his shot is deflected into the Leicester net by Leicester City's German defender Robert Huth for th eopening goal of the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Leicester City at
Image credit: Getty Images
Robert Huth scored a late own goal as Arsenal sneaked past Leicester with a 1-0 win to keep their hopes of a top-four place alive.
Set up with an familiar 4-4-2 formation, Leicester frustrated the hosts and looked set for a deserved away point until the 86th minute when Nacho Monreal’s shot took a wicked deflection off Robert Huth to give the Gunners a crucial win.
Having experienced the ecstasy of reaching a third FA Cup final in four years with a victory over Manchester City on Sunday, Arsenal were short on energy and struggled to break down a resolute Foxes backline.
Leicester actually created the better chances in the first-half as Riyad Mahrez twice went close to giving the Foxes the lead.
It proved an uncharacteristically quiet match for Alexis Sanchez but the Chilean finally burst into life on the stroke of half time when his 20 yard pile-driver smashed off the crossbar with Kasper Schmeichel beaten.
Arsenal were equally as uninspired after the break and with time running out Arsene Wenger eventually threw the shackles off by introducing Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey. Their pressure eventually told in the dying stages, albeit in fortunate circumstances.
The result moves Arsenal up into sixth and just four points off Manchester City in fourth who play rivals Manchester United on Thursday night. Meanwhile, Leicester remain 15th and only six points above the drop zone.
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Leicester City's Robert Huth looks dejected
Image credit: Reuters
TALKING POINT - Job done but real tests to come for lucky Arsenal
Arsene Wenger said before the game that his side needed to win each of their last seven remaining league games to have any hope of clinching a top-four place. And while Arsenal got the job tonight, the real challenges lie ahead as they face Tottenham and Manchester United in the space of ten days.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Danny Drinkwater (Leicester): The underrated Foxes midfielder put in yet another tireless shift in a performance which once again demonstrates his value to the league champions.
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Danny Drinkwater in action with Arsenal's Mesut Ozil
Image credit: Reuters
PLAYER RATINGS
Arsenal: Cech 7, Gabriel 7, Koscielny 6, Monreal 7, Bellerin 7, Coquelin 6, Xhaka 6, Gibbs 6, Ozil 5, Walcott 4, Sanchez 5. Subs: Giroud 5, Ramsey 5, Welbeck 5.
Leicester: Schmeichel 7, Simpson 7, Benalouane 6, Huth 6, Fuchs 7, Mahrez 7, Ndidi 7, Drinkwater 8, Albrighton 6, Ulloa 5, Vardy 5. Subs: Gray 5, Okazaki 6.
KEY MOMENTS
21’ - TERRIFIC SAVE! Fuchs delivers a long throw-in into the penalty area, Arsenal can't clear their lines and the loose ball falls to Mahrez who volleys to the top corner but Cech does brilliantly to make the save. Leicester corner to follow.
45’ - CROSSBAR! Finally Sanchez bursts into life! He gets away from Simpson and fires a shot at goal from 20 yards which crashes off the woodwork. Much better.
58’ - SAVE! Xhaka lets fly from 25 yards, it takes a slight deflection but Schmeichel is across his goal to make a one-handed save. The subsequent corner comes to nothing. Close.
86’ - GOAL - Arsenal are ahead in fortuitous circumstances! Leicester can only partially clear Sanchez's cross, the loose ball falls to Monreal whose half-volley takes a wicked deflection and flies past Schmeichel! It'll go down as a Huth own-goal.
KEY STATS
- Arsenal have equalled their longest home winning streak against a single opponent (10 against Everton, Jan 1997-Sep 2005).
- The Gunners have now scored 29 league goals in the final 30 minutes of games in the Premier League this term; the most of any side.
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