LONDON – A goal from substitute Alexandre Lacazette earned Arsenal a hard-fought 1-0 win over a wasteful West Ham United side at the Emirates on Saturday, extending the Gunners’ unbeaten Premier League run to eight matches.
Both sides struck the woodwork in the first half, but the visitors had the better chances and goalkeeper Bernd Leno came to Arsenal’s rescue with an excellent save from Michail Antonio after the break.
Mikel Arteta’s side found the breakthrough when Lacazette fired home from a Mesut Ozil knock-down, although the Frenchman’s celebrations were delayed after the goal was initially ruled out for offside before a VAR review overturned the decision.
The result moved Arsenal ahead of Burnley into ninth place, level on 40 points with eighth-placed north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. West Ham remained 16th on 27 points, outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.
In the south of England Newcastle United leapfrogged Southampton in the standings and moved up to 13th with a 1-0 win at St Mary's Stadium, thanks to a solo second-half effort from French winger Allan Saint-Maximin.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/LacazetteAlex?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LacazetteAlex| #ARSWHU pic.twitter.com/OkDH0ekYnl
— Arsenal (@Arsenal)
Southampton struggled to get a foothold in the game after they were reduced to 10 men when winger Moussa Djenepo made a reckless challenge to get sent off in the 28th minute.
Djenepo was initially booked when he caught Isaac Hayden above the ankle but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) advised referee Graham Scott to take a second look on the pitchside monitor, after which a red card was produced.
Southampton were nearly undone just before halftime when Sofiane Boufal used his upper arm to clear the ball inside the box, awarding Newcastle their first penalty of the season, but Alex McCarthy dived to his left to stop Matt Ritchie's effort.
With Southampton a man down, it was down to McCarthy to deny the Newcastle players on numerous occasions – particularly Dwight Gayle who had three shots on target blocked – and the goalkeeper finished the first half with six saves.
But McCarthy could do nothing when Saint-Maximin pressed Yan Valery, pinched the ball from his fellow Frenchman and then toe-poked the ball off the post for his second goal of the season to give Newcastle their first league win since January.
In Brighton, Wolverhampton Wanderers' Premier League top-four ambitions stalled as they were held to a dismal 0-0 draw at home by struggling Brighton and Hove Albion.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/SnickersUKcom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SnickersUKcom. #BHAFC🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/ENCmicAlkh
— Brighton & Hove Albion ⚽️ (@OfficialBHAFC)
Last week's win at Tottenham Hotspur fuelled confidence that Wolves could challenge for a Champions League spot but they were far from their best against a resolute Brighton side.
With Adama Traore left on the bench until late on, Wolves's attacking flair was missing and Brighton hung on for what could be a precious point in their fight to avoid relegation.
Wolves, who could have gone level with fourth-placed Chelsea, almost nicked it late on when Leander Dendoncker blazed over the crossbar.
Brighton's draw kept them two points above the bottom three while Wolves are fifth, two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
A bullet header from Billy Sharp gave Sheffield United a 1-0 win over bottom side Norwich City to lift the Blades to sixth and move them closer to their dream of European football next season.
With Manchester City facing a possible European ban over breaches of financial fair play rules, Sheffield United have their sights set on a top-six finish, a feat they haven't managed since the 1974-75 season.
Incredible support yet again.
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) March 7, 2020
We march on ✊ pic.twitter.com/V8QfPQKXvc
The hosts took the lead in the 36th minute when John Lundstram crossed for an unmarked Sharp to plant a firm header past Tim Krul, and they could have had a couple more before the break as Norwich struggled to match their intensity.
Norwich bolstered their attacking options at the break by sending on Josip Drmic to partner Teemo Pukki, and Drmic came close to scoring when his shot deflected off David McGoldrick and bounced off the crossbar in the 75th minute.
The visitors continued to throw everything forward in an effort to find an equaliser, but United keeper Dean Henderson pulled off a string of fine saves, prompting the home fans to chant for him to be made "England's number one".
The win lifts Sheffield United above Manchester United, who face Manchester City on Sunday, with 43 points from 28 games, while Norwich remain bottom on 21 points from 29 games.
Crystal Palace extended their winning run and moved into the top half of the standings with a 1-0 win over Watford, thanks to a first-half goal from Jordan Ayew at Selhurst Park.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/CPFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CPFC| #CRYWAT pic.twitter.com/CKkEg5HNON
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC)
It was Palace's third consecutive league win after a winless seven-game run and it moved Roy Hodgson's side up to 10th in the standings.
Ayew gave Palace the lead with their first shot on goal when James McArthur created an opportunity for him to take a shot from the edge of the box, beating the outstretched arm of Ben Foster in Watford's goal.
At the other end, Vicente Guaita denied Watford twice in the space of three minutes in the second half, first tipping a stinging long-range effort from Troy Deeney over the bar before keeping out Abdoulaye Doucoure's looping header.
Christian Benteke also came close as he attempted one of his trademark bicycle kicks, but despite making good contact with the ball he could only find the side netting.
Watford came close in the dying stages when they won a corner in stoppage time but Palace were able to hold firm to leave the visitors in 17th place in the standings.
In the south of England Newcastle United leapfrogged Southampton in the standings and moved up to 13th with a 1-0 win at St Mary's Stadium, thanks to a solo second-half effort from French winger Allan Saint-Maximin.
Southampton struggled to get a foothold in the game after they were reduced to 10 men when winger Moussa Djenepo made a reckless challenge to get sent off in the 28th minute.
Djenepo was initially booked when he caught Isaac Hayden above the ankle but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) advised referee Graham Scott to take a second look on the pitchside monitor, after which a red card was produced.
Southampton were nearly undone just before halftime when Sofiane Boufal used his upper arm to clear the ball inside the box, awarding Newcastle their first penalty of the season, but Alex McCarthy dived to his left to stop Matt Ritchie's effort.
With Southampton a man down, it was down to McCarthy to deny the Newcastle players on numerous occasions – particularly Dwight Gayle who had three shots on target blocked – and the goalkeeper finished the first half with six saves.
But McCarthy could do nothing when Saint-Maximin pressed Yan Valery, pinched the ball from his fellow Frenchman and then toe-poked the ball off the post for his second goal of the season to give Newcastle their first league win since January.
In Brighton, Wolverhampton Wanderers' Premier League top-four ambitions stalled as they were held to a dismal 0-0 draw at home by struggling Brighton and Hove Albion.
Last week's win at Tottenham Hotspur fuelled confidence that Wolves could challenge for a Champions League spot but they were far from their best against a resolute Brighton side.
With Adama Traore left on the bench until late on, Wolves's attacking flair was missing and Brighton hung on for what could be a precious point in their fight to avoid relegation.
Wolves, who could have gone level with fourth-placed Chelsea, almost nicked it late on when Leander Dendoncker blazed over the crossbar.
Brighton's draw kept them two points above the bottom three while Wolves are fifth, two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
A bullet header from Billy Sharp gave Sheffield United a 1-0 win over bottom side Norwich City to lift the Blades to sixth and move them closer to their dream of European football next season.
With Manchester City facing a possible European ban over breaches of financial fair play rules, Sheffield United have their sights set on a top-six finish, a feat they haven't managed since the 1974-75 season.
The hosts took the lead in the 36th minute when John Lundstram crossed for an unmarked Sharp to plant a firm header past Tim Krul, and they could have had a couple more before the break as Norwich struggled to match their intensity.
Norwich bolstered their attacking options at the break by sending on Josip Drmic to partner Teemo Pukki, and Drmic came close to scoring when his shot deflected off David McGoldrick and bounced off the crossbar in the 75th minute.
The visitors continued to throw everything forward in an effort to find an equaliser, but United keeper Dean Henderson pulled off a string of fine saves, prompting the home fans to chant for him to be made "England's number one".
The win lifts Sheffield United above Manchester United, who face Manchester City on Sunday, with 43 points from 28 games, while Norwich remain bottom on 21 points from 29 games.
Crystal Palace extended their winning run and moved into the top half of the standings with a 1-0 win over Watford, thanks to a first-half goal from Jordan Ayew at Selhurst Park.
It was Palace's third consecutive league win after a winless seven-game run and it moved Roy Hodgson's side up to 10th in the standings.
Ayew gave Palace the lead with their first shot on goal when James McArthur created an opportunity for him to take a shot from the edge of the box, beating the outstretched arm of Ben Foster in Watford's goal.
At the other end, Vicente Guaita denied Watford twice in the space of three minutes in the second half, first tipping a stinging long-range effort from Troy Deeney over the bar before keeping out Abdoulaye Doucoure's looping header.
Christian Benteke also came close as he attempted one of his trademark bicycle kicks, but despite making good contact with the ball he could only find the side netting.
Watford came close in the dying stages when they won a corner in stoppage time but Palace were able to hold firm to leave the visitors in 17th place in the standings.