Arsenal go second with win over Burnley

Premier League 

Arsenal 3-1 Burnley

Arsenal got back to winning ways by seeing off a stubborn Burnley 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium to move level on points with Premier League leaders Manchester City.

The Gunners controversially lost 1-0 at Newcastle United last time out but had no such problems on Saturday afternoon, easing to victory, albeit after being made to work hard for the win.

However, Leandro Trossard’s bundled effort on the stroke of half-time finally broke the visitors’ brave first-half resistance.

And even though Josh Brownhill’s deflected 54th-minute shot brought the Clarets level against the run of play, William Saliba headed the hosts back in front just three minutes and 39 seconds later.

The returning Oleksandr Zinchenko added a spectacular third with 16 minutes to go and despite substitute Fabio Vieira’s late red card – which Gunners boss Mikel Arteta later applauded – Arsenal held on for the win that lifts them above north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and into second in the table, level on points with champions City ahead of their Super Sunday trip to Chelsea.

Struggling Burnley, meanwhile, stay in 19th place after this latest defeat.

Arteta’s team were looking to avoid making it back-to-back defeats in the Premier League after their much-talked-about loss at St James’ Park last weekend, although they were made to work hard for their victory by a well-organised and stubborn Clarets outfit on a sun-drenched November’s afternoon in the capital.

So much so, in fact, that the hosts were still looking for a breakthrough heading into first-half injury time, only for Zinchenko to cross for Bukayo Saka – fit to start – who then headed the centre back across the six-yard box for Trossard to bravely bundle home at the back post, despite getting clattered in the process by Burnley No 1 James Trafford.

Totally out of the blue, though, the visitors drew level when captain Brownhill’s low drive was deflected past David Raya at his near post, perhaps the wake-up call Arsenal needed as the hosts immediately went up the other end to score again.

However, Trafford – so solid while keeping Arsenal at bay in the first half – will be disappointed to have let Saliba get in front of him to head home Trossard’s left-wing corner just before the hour mark in what was the turning point of the game.

Zinchenko then volleyed home a third after Dara O’Shea had headed another dangerous Trossard corner against his own bar to give Arsenal breathing space, which proved important when Vieira, only just on as a sub, was given a straight red seven minutes from time after a studs-up tackle on Brownhill.

After the international break, Arsenal travel to Brentford on Saturday November 25; kick-off 5.30pm while Burnley host West Ham at 3pm that same day.