Arsenal revived their hopes of playing in European competition next season after goals from David Luiz, Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe gave them a 3-1 win at Leicester City in an entertaining Premier League clash on Sunday .
The result brought Arsenal two places to ninth with 26 points from 26 games, while Leicester stayed third with 49 points after suffering a second setback within three days of being eliminated from the Europa League.
No Arsenal player has provided more templates for the Premier League this season than Willian (4). 🎯 pic.twitter.com/9Nd1kJlQCY
– Squawka Football (@Squawka) February 28, 2021
Eliminated from Europe’s second-tier competition on Thursday with a 2-0 home loss to Slavia Prague, Leicester took the lead against Arsenal in the sixth minute when Youri Tielemans shot into the box from the right flank and shot a low shot into the far corner .
The Gunners equalized in the 39th minute when Luiz headed a Willian cross into the lower right corner and Lacazette turned the tide in first-half stoppage time as he drilled a penalty after a VAR check revealed Wilfred Ndidi had handled the ball in the area.
The poor defense cost Leicester again in the 52nd minute when the visitors were able to break through the middle before Willian shoved the ball at Pepe and the Ivorian striker pegged it into an empty net from six yards.
Arsenal held out comfortably in the closing stages and missed their chances of winning by a larger margin, when Kieran Tierney only narrowly scored with a volley from 20 meters and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came close with a hissing low shot.
Dominant Fulham frustrated with a goalless draw at the Palace
Not leading the scoring in front of goal in Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace, Fulham opted for a point at Selhurst Park to get out of the Premier League relegation zone.
The result meant that Scott Parker’s 18th team are unbeaten in five league games and have 23 points from 26 games, putting them three points behind Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion.
