Football news - Arsenal survive scare to win away as Huddersfield finally end goal drought
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ByEurosport
Updated 10/02/2019 at 09:30 GMT
Premier League, John Smith Stadium – Huddersfield 1 (Kolasinac OG 93’) Arsenal 2 (Iwobi 16, Lacazette 44)
Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette is mobbed by teammates
Image credit: Getty Images
Alex Iwobi and Alexandre Lacazette were on the score-sheet as Arsenal produced a smash and grab at Huddersfield to move to within a point of fourth-placed Manchester United.
The heat was on the Gunners after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side brushed Fulham aside earlier on Saturday to open up a four-point gap between themselves and Arsenal in sixth.
But Unai Emery's charges ended a run of three consecutive away defeats to keep within touching distance of the Red Devils with a clinical but nervy display.
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Arsenal's Nigerian striker Alex Iwobi (L) celebrates scoring the opening goal with Arsenal's English midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles during the English Premier League football match between Huddersfield Town and Arsena
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Arsenal spent much of the first-half camped in their own half defending but were ruthless in attack and led by two goals at the interval.
Iwobi broke the deadlock with a deflected volley in the 16th-minute and Lacazette doubled the advantage on the stroke of the half-time whistle after converting Ainsley Maitland-Niles' cross.
Huddersfield continued to control possession after the restart and deservedly ended their 10-hour wait for a goal deep into stoppage time when Sead Kolasinac turned into his own net.
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Alex Iwobi of Arsenal celebrates after scoring a goal
Image credit: Getty Images
But it was too little too late for Jan Siewert's side who crashed to their 12th defeat in 13 games. They remain bottom on 11 points - the fourth lowest tally in Premier League history at this stage.
TALKING POINT - Arsenal end away day blues, but performance is worrying
Emery stressed how important it was that the Gunners ended their poor away form after suffering three consecutive defeats on their travels. And while the Spaniard may not have been impressed by his side's overall performance, he will be pleased with their ruthlessness in front of goal.
The visitors were sloppy in possession and rarely felt in total control of the game - and he will be fuming his side are still without an away clean-sheet this season. Improvement is needed but with Southampton and Bournemouth next on the horizon, Emery will be confident his side can at least build some consistency.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Laurent Koscienly (Arsenal)
This was another assured defensive performance from the Frenchman. Leading from the back, Koscienly was first to every ball.
PLAYER RATINGS
Huddersfield: Hamer 5, Smith 5, Kongolo 4, Jorgensen 6, Schindler 6, Bacuna 5, Hogg 6, Mooy 7, Puncheon 6, Diakhaby 8, Kachunga 5. Subs: Durm 6, Grant 6, Depoitre 6.
Arsenal: Leno 6, Maitland-Niles 6, Mustafi 6, Koscielny 8, Monreal 7, Guendouzi 6, Torreira 6, Iwobi 7, Mkhitaryan 8, Kolasinac 7, Lacazette 7. Subs: Suarez 6, Elneny 6, Willock n/a
KEY MOMENTS
16' - GOAL! Huddersfield 0-1 Arsenal: Iwobi breaks the deadlock with Arsenal's first shot on target - and there's a huge slice of fortune involved! Iwobi races into space at the far post to meet Kolasinac's cross from the left, he does well to control the volley, it takes a deflection which wrong-foots Hamer and nestles into the corner of the net.
25' - NO PENALTY! Arsenal clear a corner only as far as Bacuna on the edge of the box. His volley is blocked by Koscienly who goes down dramatically... has he been winded? Huddersfield want a penalty... the replays show the ball hit Koscienly on the hand! No penalty says the referee.
44' - GOAL! Huddersfield 0-2 Arsenal: They have been second-best for much of the game thus far, but Arsenal are now two-up at Huddersfield! It's a lovely worked goal. Mkhitaryan finds Maitland-Niles who crosses to the far post, picking out Lacazette who is left with a simple tap-in and he makes no mistake.
69' - GREAT CHANCE! Arsenal produce a rapid counter-attack - Mkhitaryan releases Iwobi who has to score... but he shoots straight at Hamer! The Huddersfield goalkeeper does brilliantly to stay big there but it's a chance wasted as far as Arsenal are concerned.
80' - SO CLOSE! Smith bends a delightful through-pass in front of the Arsenal defence for Depoitre to latch onto. His first touch sets him up perfectly for a shot but the substitute curls it agonisingly wide of Leno's far post.
90'+3 - GOAL! Huddersfield 1-2 Arsenal They have done it - Huddersfield have scored a goal after more than 10 hours since their last one! Is it an own goal? They won't care! Leno gets a foot to Diakhaby's shot but it looks like Kolasinac gets the final touch as the ball rolls over the line!
KEY STATS
- Since the start of last season, Sead Kolasinac has provided eight Premier League assists - only Andrew Robertson and Jose Holebas (10 each) have provided more among defenders in that time.
- Arsenal led a Premier League away game by two or more goals at half-time for the first time since August 2016 (3-0 at Watford).
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