Eze hurts Tottenham again to reignite Arsenal’s title hopes

LONDON, Engalnd (AP):

Eberechi Eze reignited Arsenal’s title ambitions in the English Premier League by being the scourge of Tottenham once again.

Three months after scoring a hat-trick against Spurs, the England midfielder netted two more goals against Arsenal’s fiercest rivals in a 4-1 away win yesterday. Viktor Gyokeres also scored twice for the leaders.

Eze came close to joining Tottenham in the summer, only for Arsenal – his boyhood club – to swoop in and sign him instead for a reported 60 million pounds (US$80 million). Spurs are suffering even more now – his only goals since the start of November have come against them.

Arsenal rebounded after two straight draws that have let second-placed Manchester City back in the title conversation.

The Gunners regained their five-point lead, but City have a game in hand and still have to host Mikel Arteta’s team in the league in mid-April. They also meet in the English League Cup final on March 22.

It proved to be a tough start to life as Tottenham manager for Igor Tudor, who has made a habit of picking up good results early in his tenures at previous clubs.

Not this time, though. Tottenham did equalise two minutes after conceding the opener to Eze when Randal Kolo Muani dispossessed Declan Rice and drilled home a finish for 1-1 in the 34th.

Gyokeres made it 2-1 with a shot from the edge of the area in the 47th, and Eze stretched the lead in the 61st with a rebound after Bukayo Saka’s shot was saved. Gyokeres scored again in stoppage time.

Arsenal have 10 league games remaining in their bid for a first top-flight title since 2004.

MAC ALLISTER GRABS LATE WINNER

Alexis Mac Allister just didn’t give up.

After having an 89th-minute goal disallowed following a VAR check, the Argentina midfielder scored again in the seventh minute of stoppage time – and this time it survived a video review – to earn Liverpool a 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest.

The dramatic end at the City Ground centred completely on Mac Allister, who thought he’d scored without knowing anything about it after turning his back on a clearance by Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina.

The ball rebounded off Mac Allister and into the net, but the VAR spotted it had struck his arm and the goal was scrubbed out.

However, he was on hand off virtually the last kick of the game when Virgil van Dijk’s header was spilled by Forest goalkeeper Stefan Ortega. Barely six metres out, Mac Allister could hardly miss as he sidefooted the ball into the net.

There was a VAR check to see if Van Dijk was offside, but the goal was given.

Liverpool stayed in sixth place but are tied on points with fourth-placed Chelsea and fifth-placed Manchester United, whose game in hand is at Everton today.

Other results: Crystal Palace 1-0 Wolverhampton, Sunderland 1-3 Fulham.