High-speed Martinelli scores two more as Arsenal go five points ahead
LONDON: Arsenal hammered Everton 4-0 to move five points clear at the top of the Premier League, while Liverpool beat Wolves to reignite top-four hopes.
Arsenal’s young guns were once again firing on all cylinders as Bukayo Saka’s strike and Gabriel Martinelli’s brace helped down Everton to send Mikel Arteta’s side five points clear at the Premier League summit.
No other players under the age of 22 have scored more than five Premier League goals this season but both Saka and Martinelli reached double-figures with first-half strikes in a comfortable 4-0 victory.
Captain Martin Odegaard added a third before Martinelli tapped in to put the gloss on the win and leave Arsenal in a strong position as they pursue a first title in 19 years.
This was Arsenal’s game in hand, the original match called off following the death of the Queen, and they went into the contest having lost to the struggling Toffees last month.
That was Sean Dyche’s first game in charge of Everton and things appeared to be on the up, but this loss leaves the visitors inside the relegation zone.
Arteta has Arsenal purring again after a loss at Goodison Park knocked the confidence of his players, the Spaniard ensuring it was a blip rather than a slump as they open up a healthy lead over Manchester City at the top of the table again.
Salah on target
Mohamed Salah maintained his record of scoring at least 20 a season every year at Liverpool as his goal helped secure a 2-0 win over Wolves which edged them closer to the Premier League’s top four.
The Egypt international turned home Kostas Tsimikas’s 77th-minute cross to double the lead given to them by Virgil van Dijk’s close-range header moments earlier for his 127th league goal for the club.
It put him one behind Robbie Fowler, who is sixth on the Reds’ all-time league scorers list, and secured a hard-fought victory that took their tally to 10 points from the last 12 and moved them within two wins of fourth-placed Tottenham with a match in hand.
Goals from Liverpool’s two most experienced players on the pitch maintained their momentum which had been in danger of stalling after Saturday’s disappointing goalless draw at Crystal Palace.
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