Premier League

Tariq Lamptey also makes his first start for a while as Leandro Trossard looks to fill the false nine role. Solly March and Adam Lallana are both due to start ...

City are four points behind in second spot, having played one game more. Arsenal start the match on top of the league, with 40 points from 15 matches, and boosted by home draws for Manchester City and Newcastle United. [Premier League Match Day 16 – Brighton & Hove Albion v Arsenal](https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2022/12/31/premier-league-match-day-brighton-hove-albion-v-arsenal/) [31 Dec 2022](https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2022/12/31/)at 4:38 pm

Goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Eddie Nketiah set the Gunners on course for a fifth consecutive top-flight success to cement their status as serious ...

Arsenal enjoy a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League standings following a 4-2 victory over Brighton.

Crystal Palace picked up three vital points with a 2-0 win over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. Southampton will begin 2023 at the foot of the Premier League after a last-gasp Joao Palhinha goal condemned them to a 2-1 defeat at Fulham. Marcus Rashford climbed off the bench and the naughty step to fire Manchester United to victory at Wolves.

While losing Gabriel Jesus to injury during the World Cup is a blow to the team, Eddie Nketiah has hit the ground running with two goals in two games and ...

Second in scoring behind only Manchester City, Arsenal have scored 11 more goals than any other team in the league with four players scoring five or more goals. Brighton would get another and Mitoma made things interesting by hitting the back of the net again but it was judged to be offside following a VAR review, ending any chance of a dramatic comeback. 15th, but the lead could be at a point by then where Arsenal could still be in great shape no matter the result.

Shock PL reality facing giants after fresh title blow as leaders pounce in six-goal thriller.

This is the right answer.” Third placed Newcastle’s six-match winning run came to a halt in a 0-0 draw against Leeds at St James’ Park. Everyone has to match the rules. Coming in he was bright, lively, he scored a goal and that is the right reaction. I made a mistake. I overslept but it can happen,” Rashford said. “We draw a line under it and move on.

Goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Eddie Nketiah set the Gunners on course for a fifth consecutive top-flight success to cement their status as serious ...

Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal a dream start, scoring after only 66 seconds. Martin Odegaard doubled the lead before half-time with his seventh goal of the season.

[Nottingham Forest](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/15/Nottingham-Forest/overview) will hope they can stun Chelsea at the City Ground and move out of the relegation zone. First-half goals from [Jordan Ayew](https://www.premierleague.com/players/5595/Jordan-Ayew/stats), his first of the season, and [Eberechi Eze](https://www.premierleague.com/players/21584/Eberechi-Eze/stats) keep Palace 11th on 22 points. [Demarai Gray](https://www.premierleague.com/players/7946/Demarai-Gray/stats) that gave [Everton](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/7/Everton/overview) a vital 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium. [James Ward-Prowse](https://www.premierleague.com/players/4617/James-Ward-Prowse/stats) had deflected an [Andreas Pereira](https://www.premierleague.com/players/10476/Andreas-Pereira/stats) shot into his own to put Fulham in front, but levelled with a superb free-kick before Palhinha condemned Saints to a fifth straight defeat. [Erling Haaland](https://www.premierleague.com/players/65970/Erling-Haaland/stats) put City in front with a 24th-minute effort. [Eddie Nketiah](https://www.premierleague.com/players/14451/Eddie-Nketiah/stats) added a third 105 seconds into the second half, but [Kaoru Mitoma](https://www.premierleague.com/players/117732/Kaoru-Mitoma/stats) gave Brighton hope of a comeback with a nicely worked goal. You can manage your non-essential cookies using the Cookie Settings or at any time via our [Bukayo Saka](https://www.premierleague.com/players/49481/Bukayo-Saka/stats) gave Arsenal a dream start, scoring after only 66 seconds. The Premier League website uses essential cookies to make our website work. In front of their new owners, Bill Foley and the actor Michael B. [Manchester United](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/12/Manchester-United/overview) will start the new year in the top four and two points behind Newcastle after a [Marcus Rashford](https://www.premierleague.com/players/13565/Marcus-Rashford/stats) goal earned them a 1-0 win at [Wolverhampton Wanderers](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/38/Wolverhampton-Wanderers/overview). Everton climb a place to 16th on 15 points.

Goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Eddie Nketiah had Arsenal 3-0 up by the 47th minute and seemingly cruising to an easy win, but Kaoru Mitoma kept ...

Goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Eddie Nketiah had Arsenal 3-0 up by the 47th minute and seemingly cruising to an easy win.

Odegaard was once again Arsenal’s main orchestrator in midfield and nearly set up Martinelli for a second with some remarkable footwork in the area but ended up doubling the lead himself in the 39th. Suddenly Brighton was pouring forward, but Odegaard made them pay with a perfectly weighted first-touch pass that set Martinelli clear on the counter. “It’s still a long, long run to go,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said of the title race.

Substitute Evan Ferguson, 18, scored his first league goal with 13 minutes remaining and Mitoma thought he had brought Brighton to within a one-goal deficit but ...

[Julio Enciso](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/20975/Julio-Enciso) 6. [Liverpool](/soccer/team?id=364) on Oct. [Mykhailo Mudryk](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/299911/mykhailo-mudryk) made it clear he was watching. Maybe we need to control the game a bit better, we let them in a couple of times, but they are a good team, good on the ball." [Erling Haaland](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/253989/Erling-Haaland) could enjoy five weeks resting up before continuing his devastating form with Manchester City. It was another test of their resolve in the pressurised environment of a title race, against a gifted Brighton side (albeit bereft of World Cup winning playmaker [Alexis Mac Allister](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/249299/Alexis-Mac-Allister)) who had already thrashed [Chelsea](/soccer/team?id=363) at home and won away at [Manchester United](/soccer/team?id=360) this season. Top of the league and playing such good football, why wouldn't a top player want to be part of something with this much potential? [Upcoming fixtures](/soccer/fixtures?league=eng.1) Odegaard now has seven goals and five assists from 15 league matches this season, more than his tally for the entirety of the previous campaign. After a man-of-the-match display against [West Ham United](/soccer/team?id=371) on Boxing Day, Odegaard was once again heavily influential here. [Best/worst performers](#bestworst) [Highlights and notable moments](#highlights)

Arsenal boss hails 'big win' as his side end the year in pole position after 4-2 win over Brighton.

However, a Kaoru Mitoma goal in the 65th minute threw Brighton a lifeline and though Gabriel Martinelli netted a fourth for Arsenal from a stunning Odegaard pass, Evan Ferguson made it 4-2 to set up a grandstand finish. Leandro Trossard had a couple of decent chances for the home side before Martin Odegaard added Arsenal’s second in the 39th minute, pouncing on a loose clearance and driving a shot that bounced up and into the net. Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah grabbed early goals in each half for Arsenal as they won 4-2 away to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday in the final Premier League game of 2022 to open up a seven-point lead at the top of the table.

Arsenal end 2022 seven points clear at the top of the Premier League after an entertaining 4-2 win over a spirited Brighton at the AMEX, Bukayo Saka and Martin ...

47' GOAL FOR ARSENAL! 77' GOAL FOR BRIGHTON! A first goal for Ferguson. Saka's corner is cleared to the edge of the box and Odegaard shoots, inadvertently, against the floor and it then bounces into the top corner. Martinelli's effort was deflected into the path of Saka - and as always his first touch was perfect and his finish was cool. Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka play with abandon on either flank which few defences have the wherewithal to withstand the structure behind the ball with Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey in front of the back four means the vulnerabilities of the last decade mostly seem a distant memory (though Brighton's tenacity had them rocking a little in the final stages here).

Conceding the first goal in six consecutive matches, Antonio Conte needs Spurs' defense to focus more but Aston Villa's results have improved since appointing ...

Aston Villa: After starting Villa's match against Liverpool on the bench, Emi Martinez is expected to start following his World Cup win, improving the defense for Emery. The game will come too soon for Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison who are still nursing injuries picked up during the World Cup but Heung Min-Son, Harry Kane, and Dejan Kulusevski should be enough to secure a result in the match. In four matches in charge, Emery's only league loss has come at the hands of Liverpool with Villa defeating Manchester United in his debut. Pick: Tottenham 3, Aston Villa 1. Conceding the first goal in six consecutive matches, Antonio Conte needs Spurs' defense to focus more but Aston Villa's results have improved since appointing Unai Emery at the start of November. Not having featured for Tottenham since mid-October due to hamstring issues, his presence should help settle what has been an erratic defense at best this season.

The Spurs try to keep up with the top four in the EPL when they host Aston Villa on New Year's Day.

The Lions went into the pause in November with a pair of wins, knocking off Manchester United and Brighton heading into the holidays. The Spurs were right in the thick of the top four in the EPL in the early stages of the season. On New Year’s Day, Tottenham Hotspur tries to keep up with the league’s top clubs when they host Aston Villa.

Minute-by-minute report: Will Tottenham start 2023 with victory over Aston Villa? Join Will Unwin to find out.

We have, in theory, a re-run of the World Cup final with Hugo Lloris in one goal and Emi Martinez down the other end trying to control his urge to sexualise his goalkeeper gloves. It is a nice idea but at some point he will regress, so he should just cut back on the sugar or something. It is a big game, we are going to stick to our game plan. I would argue Villa have the better pre-match jacket but I am open to persuasion. “Even before World Cup it became clear Arsenal will finish ahead and to be honest, it hurts but it is what it is. Watkins and Bissouma go for the same ball on the edge of the Villa box. 16 mins: Doherty chests down a crossfield pass but runs straight into Digne, causing the Spurs man to go down. A ball is played over for Perisic to latch onto; he forces Olsen out of his net and crosses to Kane at the back post to nod at the goalkeeper-less goal, only for Young to dive to his right to head clear. 20 mins: Son runs back and makes a tackle after losing the ball. Romero is back (and in the book). 49 mins: It is all Spurs in the opening few minutes. They seem quite happy to let Spurs have possession and pass the ball side to side.

Tottenham Hotspur hosts Aston Villa on New Year's Day hoping to extend a lethal streak in this fixture over recent years.

Spurs just missed the mark in their comeback fixture following the World Cup, though there was at least a little pride to be felt after they responded from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Brentford. Antonio Conte will aim to get the ball rolling in triumphant fashion as his Tottenham Hotspur side hosts Aston Villa on Sunday in what will be the first Premier League match of 2023. Villa hopes to have a world champion of its own ready to return as goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez comes back into contention, offering a much-needed boost at the back if he is ready to return.

Aston Villa has continued its resurgence under Unai Emery with a hard-fought 2-0 away victory over Tottenham in the Premier League.

Perisic sent an effort over the bar moments later before Conte turned to his limited options on the bench and introduced Ryan Sessegnon in place of Bryan Gil after he struggled to make an impact on his first Premier League start. Emiliano Buendia took advantage of an error by Hugo Lloris in the Spurs goal to open the scoring and Douglas Luiz doubled the advantage to secure a second consecutive away league victory for Villa. Aston Villa continued its resurgence under Unai Emery with a hard-fought 2-0 away victory over Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.

Antonio Conte has blamed a lack of creativity for Tottenham Hotspur's 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday.

"We have conceded the first goal and for sure we try to play to score goals. “The league will be very difficult for us. “I was very clear with the club and in the summer people spoke about Tottenham as title contenders,” Conte explained. “People think that you arrive and you win in this way. "We have to know that our life is this. "In the first half we played with good intensity.

Conte's team beaten 2-0 at home by Aston Villa as Chelsea held 1-1 by Nottingham Forest.

But they paid the penalty as Serge Aurier grabbed a deserved equalizer for the hosts in the second period. It was a brilliant goal and it killed off any hopes of a Spurs comeback. Romero, a World Cup winner with Argentina, was playing for the first time since that extraordinary final in Qatar and the centre back looked a little rusty.

Minute-by-minute report: Will Nottingham Forest start the year in positive fashion against Chelsea? Join Rob Smyth to find out.

[Chelsea](https://www.theguardian.com/football/chelsea) both move up a place, to 18th and 8th respectively. Boly won the second ball and headed it towards Aurier, lurking with intent on the left side of the six-yard box. 67 min Forest have been outstanding since the break – and they’ve shown that they have more than one way to skin a defence. 75 min “Donut Mystery,” is the subject of Joe Pearson’s email (and the name of my solo jazztronica project). “I think the word in question (58 min) is ‘gogosar’. 68 min Lodi’s awkward cross is controlled superbly by Awoniyi at the near post, but he then mishits a left-footed shot. They certainly don’t look right at the moment, and it’s slightly strange to think that they are the current world club champions because they are palpably in transition. 87 min Gibbs-White, such a classy, elusive player, slips Gallagher neatly in midfield to lead another Forest break. Chelsea started well and scored through Raheem Sterling, but they struggled to live with Forest’s greater intensity in the second half and Serge Aurier’s equaliser was well deserved. We’ve started the year well and now we have to continue to fight together to stay in the Premier League. But the summer was the summer and you have to look at where we are now. The manager told us at half-time to believe in ourselves a bit more.

Nottingham Forest drew 1-1 with Chelsea at the City Ground but might have taken all three points after dominating the second half of an absorbing game.

Aurier pokes home after Boly heads a corner to him on the edge of the six-yard box. The technique for his volley against the bar was exquisite and deserved more luck. A ball-controlling central midfielder in the transfer window would be ideal but even with the current playing squad, Steve Cooper will feel he has enough to save the team from relegation back to the Championship.

Kepa Arrizabalaga was forced into two saves as Gibbs-White played Brennan Johnson through on goal but his first shot was well saved by the visiting goalkeeper, ...

A deserved leveler came in the 63rd from an unlikely source as Aurier scored his first goal since January 2021. Forest started the second half well and had a chance just four minutes in. Sterling was waiting eagerly to fire home the rebound for his first Premier League goal since August.

Nottingham Forest gave their Premier League survival hopes a shot in the arm with a 1-1 draw against Chelsea, whose troubles on the road continued.

Forest will have fancied their chances of going on to find what would have been a deserved winner, but they could not create any more clear-cut opportunities and had to settle for a point which leaves them in the relegation zone on goal difference. They forced Kepa Arrizabalaga into two saves as Gibbs-White played Brennan Johnson through on goal but his first shot was well saved by the visiting goalkeeper, with the follow-up effort easier to gather. Chelsea did at least stop a fourth away defeat in a row but they will require a vast improvement if they are to close the seven-point gap on the top four.

After a goalless first half, Aston Villa's Argentine midfielder Emiliano Buendia opened the score in the 50th minute at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London.

[Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Aston Villa are in the 12th spot with 21 points. Aston Villa on Sunday shocked Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-0 away victory in English Premier League week 18 game.

Coach's wild claim as Spurs booed off after loss; Chelsea's season takes turn for worse — PL Wrap.

But Chelsea’s first half superiority quickly faded after the interval. I have said this to the club, I have said my opinions. The goal that we conceded killed us in confidence. Maybe to stay in 5th is the best. John McGinn’s superb pass split the Tottenham defence and Luiz took a touch before guiding a clinical finish past Lloris. Maybe 6th, 7th, 5th or 4th is the best.” Chelsea are languishing in eighth place after failing to win for the sixth time in their last seven league games. It was Sterling’s first league goal since August and only the sixth in all competitions for the England forward since his close-season move from Manchester City. The Blues are seven points adrift of fourth placed Manchester United in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top four finish. But Ivory Coast right-back Aurier levelled after the break and Chelsea were fortunate to escape without an embarrassing defeat after Forest dominated for long spells in the second half. It was the seventh successive Premier League game in which Tottenham had conceded the first goal. Playing for the first time since France’s World Cup final defeat against Argentina, Tottenham goalkeeper Lloris weakly spilled Douglas Luiz’s shot early in the second half and Emiliano Buendia pounced to put Villa ahead.

It was a massive weekend for Arsenal and a good one for Manchester United and Liverpool as big six teams to win in the Premier League's Festive Fixtures.

Buendia and Luiz make it three wins from four for Villa boss, while Chelsea draw at Nott'm Forest.

[Chelsea](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/4/Chelsea/overview)’s top-four hopes also suffered a setback as they were held to a 1-1 draw at [Nottingham Forest](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/15/Nottingham-Forest/overview). [Antonio Conte](https://www.premierleague.com/managers/5556/Antonio-Conte/overview)’s side have dropped to fifth over the weekend with 30 points, being overtaken by [Manchester United](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/12/Manchester-United/overview). [Aston Villa](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/2/Aston-Villa/overview), overseeing a victory at [Tottenham Hotspur](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/21/Tottenham-Hotspur/overview) which stopped the north Londoners from returning to the top four. [Douglas Luiz](https://www.premierleague.com/players/24626/Douglas-Luiz/overview) ran on to an incisive pass from [John McGinn](https://www.premierleague.com/players/51423/John-McGinn/stats) to double the lead with 17 minutes remaining. [Liverpool](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/10/Liverpool/overview) can leapfrog Spurs with a victory when they visit [Brentford](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/130/Brentford/overview). [victory at Manchester City](https://www.premierleague.com/match/75065) and a [home draw against Spurs](https://www.premierleague.com/match/75073). [Emery](https://www.premierleague.com/managers/7247/Unai-Emery/overview) has now won three of his first four matches in charge, and has become the first Villa manager or head coach since 1998 to win his first two Premier League road trips. [Arsenal ](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/1/Arsenal/overview)and seven behind fourth-placed Man Utd. [Serge Aurier](https://www.premierleague.com/players/11293/Serge-Aurier/stats)’s fine chest and volley on 63 minutes. [Raheem Sterling](https://www.premierleague.com/players/4316/Raheem-Sterling/stats)’s fourth goal of the season. [Spurs](https://www.premierleague.com/players/4664/Hugo-Lloris/stats) goalkeeper [Hugo Lloris](https://www.premierleague.com/players/4664/Hugo-Lloris/stats), who made his first start after losing the FIFA World Cup final to Argentina, was at fault for the opener, fumbling a shot in the 50th minute, allowing Argentinian [Emiliano Buendia](https://www.premierleague.com/players/26408/Emiliano-Buend%C3%ADa/stats) to score. [Sign in](#!) [](#!) [No Room For Racism](/NoRoomForRacism)