Saka on target as Arsenal return to winning ways, Chelsea edge Leicester

Arsenal got their Premier League title challenge back on track with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday as Chelsea moved up to third by beating Leicester 2-1.

Arsenal were expected to be contenders to take City’s crown after finishing second in each of the past two seasons.

The Gunners had failed to win in their previous four league games to start the weekend nine points adrift of leaders Liverpool, who travel to bottom-of-the-table Southampton on Sunday.

Martin Odegaard’s return from injury is a major boost to Arsenal’s hopes of a first title in over 20 years and his pass teed up Bukayo Saka to blast home the opener on 15 minutes.

Saka turned provider for another special strike, this time by Thomas Partey, to double the home side’s advantage early in the second period.

Ethan Nwaneri then came off the bench to score his first Premier League goal as the highly-rated 17-year-old slotted in Raheem Sterling’s cross.

Chelsea remain ahead of Arsenal on goals scored despite failing to make their dominance show in manager Enzo Maresca’s return to Leicester.

Nicolas Jackson prodded the visitors into a first-half lead with his seventh goal of the season.

Cole Palmer’s goalbound effort was deflected behind by his team-mate Noni Madueke as Chelsea wasted a series of chances for the second goal.

It eventually arrived 15 minutes from time when Enzo Fernandez headed in after Jackson’s header was saved.

Leicester pulled a goal back in stoppage time through Jordan Ayew’s penalty but defeat leaves the Foxes just two points above the relegation zone. Maresca said he was proud of his team after so little preparation time following the international break.

“The only thing I asked the players before the game, I said, ‘Guys, we have the chance today to make a statement in terms of (who) we are’,” he told TNT Sports.

“Because when you play this kind of game, all the clubs that they are behind, like in this moment, I don’t know, Arsenal or Villa or Brighton or (Manchester) United, Tottenham, they are watching.

“They are waiting for us to drop points. And we show that we are there. And we’re going to compete until the end and then we’ll see where we arrive.”

It was Maresca’s first game at the King Power since he took Leicester back to the Premier League last season in his only campaign at the club.

Aston Villa are now winless in six and had to twice come from behind just to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Crystal Palace.

Ismaila Sarr and Justin Devenny twice put the Eagles in front either side of Ollie Watkins’ leveller before half-time.

Villa also had Youri Tielemans’ first-half penalty saved by Dean Henderson but the Belgian midfielder made amends with the delivery for Ross Barkley’s header to secure a point.

Brighton’s incredible start under 31-year-old boss Fabian Hurzeler continued with a 2-1 win at Bournemouth to climb up to fifth.

Joao Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma were on target for the Seagulls, who survived playing the final half hour down to 10 men after Carlos Baleba saw red.

Matheus Cunha scored two superb goals and set up a third to earn Wolves a 4-1 comeback victory at Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, extending the visitors’ unbeaten run to four games and briefly dragging them out of the relegation zone.

Fulham should have gone ahead in the 17th minute through Raul Jimenez, but the former Wolves striker somehow turned Antonee Robinson’s dangerous cross against the woodwork.

The hosts took a deserved lead after 20 minutes though with Alex Iwobi capitalising on Wolves giving away possession in midfield to curl home an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box. But Wolves scored with their first real attack in the 31st minute from a simple ball over the top by Mario Lemina, playing out of his usual position at centre back.

Agencies