London, UK | THE INDEPENDENT | Arsenal profited from Manchester City’s first defeat of the season to move one point behind the leaders with a comfortable 4-0 win at AFC Bournemouth.
Man City dropped points for the first time in 2023/24 at the hands of Wolverhampton Wanderers, thanks to Hwang Hee-chan’s 66th-minute goal.
Despite early pressure from City, who were being watched by Pep Guardiola from the stands because of a one-match ban, Wolves took the lead after 13 minutes.
Pedro Neto beat Nathan Ake down the right before driving into the box, and his cross was diverted into his own net by Ruben Dias.
Just before the hour, City got the goal their dominance deserved when Julian Alvarez curled a brilliant free-kick into the top corner.
Craig Dawson’s goalline clearance from Phil Foden’s shot kept Wolves from going behind and proved crucial as Wolves travelled up the pitch and took the lead once again.
Nelson Semedo’s delivery from the right caused confusion in the City box, with Matheus Cunha coolly setting up Hwang, who fired home from close range. Wolves climb to 13th with seven points, while City have 18 points.
At Vitality Stadium Arsenal eased past winless Bournemouth with a 4-0 victory.
Bukayo Saka put Arsenal ahead in the 17th minute, nodding the ball home from close range after Gabriel Jesus’s header from a narrow angle had glanced off the near post towards him.
They doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time through Martin Odegaard’s penalty, the fourth spot-kick for Arsenal this season, this one awarded for Max Aarons’ foul on Eddie Nketiah.
They got another penalty early into the second half after Ryan Christie had fouled Odegaard. This time, Kai Havertz was handed the ball to score his first goal for Arsenal in the 53rd minute.
Bournemouth came into the match as Arsenal took their foot off the gas but the next goal came to the visiting team as Ben White headed home Odegaard’s free-kick in stoppage time.
Arsenal are now third, while Bournemouth drop into the relegation zone with three points.
Earlier, Manchester United were beaten 1-0 by Crystal Palace in the Premier League at Old Trafford, with Joachim Andersen’s first-half strike proving decisive.
Despite going close through Rasmus Hojlund, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Mason Mount across the 90 minutes in M16, it was the Eagles who emerged victorious, after defending resolutely to protect their slender advantage.
With the south Londoners avenging their midweek defeat in the third round of the Carabao Cup at the Theatre of Dreams, Erik ten Hag’s side couldn’t find a vital breakthrough and thus suffered a fourth league defeat of the season.
*****
SOURCE: Premier League
