EPL

Arsenal 4-1 Crystal Palace: Saka stars again as Gunners go eight points clear

By Sports Desk March 19, 2023

Bukayo Saka scored two and assisted another as Arsenal eased past Crystal Palace 4-1 on Sunday to move eight points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.

The Gunners were eliminated from the Europa League by Sporting CP on Thursday, but they showed no sign of a hangover against managerless London rivals Palace.

Gabriel Martinelli's 13th league goal of the season gave Arsenal the lead at Emirates Stadium and Saka, who set up that opener, added a second before half-time.

Granit Xhaka put the game out of the reach of Palace, who did pull one back through Jeffrey Schlupp, before Saka's second made certain of a sixth league win in a row.

Arsenal survived an early scare when Schlupp played in Wilfried Zaha, who cut onto his right foot and fired a low shot that hit the post in a lively start from Palace.

Joe Whitworth denied Saka at the other end, but the young keeper could not get a hand to Martinelli's impressive drilled shot across goal into the bottom-right corner.

Saka doubled Arsenal's lead shortly before half-time when exchanging passes with Ben White and coolly curling the ball away from Whitworth.

Palace were further behind 10 minutes into the second half through Xhaka's bundled finish after being played through by Leandro Trossard.

Schlupp's strike from six yards after Arsenal failed to deal with a corner gave the visiting fans something to cheer, but Saka's sharp first-time finish made certain of a routine win.

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    Bukayo Saka was instrumental and Harry Kane was again on target as England strolled to a 2-0 win over Ukraine in Euro 2024 qualifying.

    Having become England's all-time leading scorer in the 2-1 win over Italy in Naples, Kane broke the deadlock in the 37th minute at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

    England's captain converted a superb cross from Saka, who then put the hosts in complete command three minutes later.

    A comeback was never on the cards after the Arsenal star's long-range effort, with England firmly in control of Group C with six points from two games. 

    England had struggled to break down Ukraine before Saka produced a whipped delivery to the far post, where Kane was waiting to fire into the bottom-left corner with aplomb.

    After teeing up the first, Saka then produced a second out of nothing, bending magnificently into the top-right corner.

    Ukraine were improved in the second half, but did not even manage a corner until the 73rd minute, illustrating England's comfort in seeing out the victory.

    England withdrew Kane late on to hand Ivan Toney his England debut, and Gareth Southgate will surely have several opportunities to introduce new faces if his side's qualifying campaign continues in this serene fashion.

    Toney's fellow substitute Conor Gallagher forced a smart stop out of Anatolii Trubin before Harry Maguire headed over and Jack Grealish went close, with the only frustration for England being a failure to add further gloss with a third.

  • Havertz and Schlotterbeck withdraw from Germany squad Havertz and Schlotterbeck withdraw from Germany squad

    Kai Havertz and Nico Schlotterbeck have withdrawn from Germany's squad for Tuesday's friendly with Belgium.

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    Chelsea attacker Havertz is ruled out of the Belgium match through illness, while Borussia Dortmund defender Schlotterbeck has a thigh injury.

    Germany head coach Hansi Flick has decided against calling up any replacements for the friendly at RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne.

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  • Deschamps backs Mbappe for more records as France prepare for Ferguson challenge Deschamps backs Mbappe for more records as France prepare for Ferguson challenge

    Didier Deschamps expects Kylian Mbappe to continue breaking France records but knows a Republic of Ireland generation inspired by teenage talisman Evan Ferguson pose a threat.

    Les Bleus thrashed the Netherlands 4-0 in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier and will be confident of claiming another three points in Dublin on Monday.

    New captain Mbappe hit a double against the Dutch, taking him to 38 international goals and fifth on France's all-time scoring charts – just three shy of the great Michel Platini (41).

    Mbappe has scored half of those in his last 16 outings, as many as in his first 51 games, Deschamps suggests there is no limit for the 24-year-old.

    "It's Kylian, he's full of ambitions. When he reaches one, he has another to reach," Deschamps said at a press conference.

    "He reached and exceeded quite a few very early on. He has that in him. He has a driving role compared to the whole group.

    "He will do everything to get there, he will need the others, but it's Kylian."

    France have won their last four qualifying matches, for both the World Cup and Euros, by an aggregate score of 16-0.

    Les Bleus have not managed five qualifying victories without conceding since doing so between November 1981 and December 1984, but they face an Ireland side buoyed by a young prospect of their own.

    Ferguson scored on his first international start in a 3-2 win over Latvia and could become the first Ireland player to net in consecutive appearances before turning 19.

    The Brighton and Hove Albion striker has been a hot topic of discussion, with Deschamps acknowledging the danger the 18-year-old might offer.

    "It goes back to [Euro] 2016. I remember that we were trailing 1-0 [in the round of 16 before winning 2-1] and that it was complicated," Deschamps said.

    "But there is a new generation with Ferguson. It is always very difficult to compare."

    Ireland have lost just three of their last 30 Euros qualifying games (W14 D13) and are unbeaten in their last 14 on home soil (W8 D6), including play-off fixtures.

    That strong home form is a factor Deschamps knows France must deal with.

    He continued: "They are a technical team. From what I have seen, they use less direct play and long balls. It will be a different game, with the crowd pushing as well.

    "It's a high level and it's up to us to do no less."

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