Arsenal Snatch Late Winner to Leapfrog City at the Summit

Substitute Kai Havertz’s late header last night took Arsenal to the top of the Premier League with a dramatic 1-0 win at Brentford.

In Mikel Arteta’s 200th game in charge of the Gunners, Havertz’s 89th-minute goal rescued a largely forgettable display in west London.

After Manchester City and Liverpool drew earlier on Saturday, this win moves the Gunners to 30 points from 13 matches, one ahead of the Cityzens at the summit.

Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard had a goal ruled out in the first half by the video assistant referee (VAR) but defeat was harsh on Brentford who were only denied goals of their own by exceptional clearances off the line from Declan Rice and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Arteta has won more matches in his first 200 in charge than any of the other nine Arsenal managers to reach that milestone – and his bold team selection here showed he was determined to take three points.

At St James’ Park, second-half goals from Jamaal Lascelles, Joelinton and Anthony Gordon helped Newcastle return to winning ways in the Premier League with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Chelsea.

Lascelles’ free header from Gordon’s cross gave the Magpies a 2-1 lead on the hour mark, before Joelinton capitalised on a Thiago Silva error to double the hosts’ advantage just 90 seconds later.

And Gordon netted his fifth of the season with seven minutes remaining to put the seal on a comprehensive victory for Newcastle, who lost at Bournemouth in their previous match.

Fit-again Alexander Isak had opened the scoring in an entertaining first half, sending a composed finish beyond Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez from 17-year-old Lewis Miley’s threaded pass.

Raheem Sterling’s delightful free-kick restored parity 10 minutes later, but the visitors were architects of their own downfall in the second half as Lascelles and Joelinton put the game out of Chelsea’s reach.

They were reduced to 10 men when Reece James was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Gordon, who completed the scoring late on.

Newcastle’s fifth straight home league win moves them to within three points of fourth-placed Tottenham, while Chelsea remain just inside the top half.

Elsewhere, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s late equaliser gave Liverpool a point at Manchester City in the meeting of the Premier League’s top teams at Etihad Stadium.

In a game that did not touch the heights of previous encounters between the main domestic powers of recent times, reigning champions City led when Erling Haaland was the beneficiary of Liverpool keeper Alisson’s poor clearance.

It made him the fastest player to reach 50 Premier League goals – in his 48th match – and gave City an advantage they held until the closing stages.

Ruben Dias thought he had added City’s second, only to see his goal ruled out for a foul on Alisson, before Alexander-Arnold made Pep Guardiola’s side pay for a failure to kill Liverpool off.