Arsenal had a bad end to 2023 by chaining a second consecutive defeat, this time 2-1 at Fulham’s field, this Sunday on the 20th day of the Premier League, where they missed the opportunity to become provisional leader.
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With 40 points, the ‘Gunners’ drop from second to fourth place on this day, ahead of Aston Villa (2nd, 42 points) and Manchester City (3rd, 40), who on Saturday had respectively beaten Burnley (19th) and the bottom Sheffield United (20th).
If they had won this Sunday, Arsenal would have become the provisional leader. They now remain two points behind Liverpool (1st, 42nd), who on Monday, New Year’s Day, can stand out at the top of the standings with their match against Newcastle (9th).
Everything had started well for Arsenal at Craven Cottage, with Bukayo Saka’s goal in the 5th minute, but Fulham then turned the score around through Mexican Raúl Jiménez (29) and Bobby Reid (59).
Already with the score at 2-1, heavy rain complicated the game and made it difficult for Arsenal to react.
Even Fulham came closer to scoring, especially in the 88th minute, when the crossbar repelled an attempt by Brazilian Andreas Pereira.
It is the second consecutive derby that Arsenal has lost, in a space of just four days, since on Thursday they lost 2-0 at home to West Ham. There are now three consecutive games without a win for Mikel Arteta’s team.
“The other day [ante el West Ham] We lost a game that we completely deserved to win. Today we were not even close to the level. We must isolate what happened today as soon as possible, it was the worst game of our season,” admitted the Spanish coach.
Fulham is thirteenth and sits in the middle of the table.
‘Goodbye, Hugo’
In the other duel on Sunday to say goodbye to 2023 in English football, the Tottenham (5th) achieved a 3-1 victory at home against Bournemouth (12th), which allows them to approach just one point from the Champions League places.
The Senegalese Pape Matar Sarr (9th minute), the South Korean Son Heung-min (71) and the Brazilian Richarlison (80) scored for Tottenham. Alex Scott (84) scored Bournemouth’s only goal.
At half-time, Spurs fans paid tribute to 37-year-old goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who was saying goodbye to the team after eleven years to join Los Angeles FC, of the North American league, as officially announced on Saturday.
Lloris jumped onto the pitch wearing a black coat and a turtleneck of the same color, while being applauded by the fans.
“I have enjoyed every minute here,” he said in his speech, while a section of the fans held panels with the letters “HUGO.”
The French goalkeeper, world champion with his national team in 2018, has not played for Tottenham since April 2023. He has not won any title with the London club, with which he played in the European Champions League final in 2019.
(Also read here: Juventus closes the year getting closer to within two points of Inter)
“It’s time for me to say goodbye but it’s goodbye from the player not from the man. I will be a Spurs man for the rest of my life.”
Thank you, Hugo 🤍 pic.twitter.com/EYjef5z1Wt
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 31, 2023
eldeportivo.com.co / AFP
2023-12-31 23:26:36
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