Soccer

Premier League round-up: Eddie Nketiah hat-trick fires Gunners to easy win

Wolves come from behind twice to earn point against Newcastle - Brentford end Chelsea’s mini-revival - Bournemouth beat Burnley

Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah kisses the match ball after completing his hat-trick in the Premier League win over Sheffield United at the Emirates Stadium. Photograph: John Walton/PA Wire
Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah kisses the match ball after completing his hat-trick in the Premier League win over Sheffield United at the Emirates Stadium. Photograph: John Walton/PA Wire
Sat Oct 28 2023 - 19:55
Arsenal 5 Sheffield United 0

Eddie Nketiah returned to the Arsenal starting line-up in style as the England forward hit a first Premier League hat-trick in a 5-0 win over bottom club Sheffield United.

Mikel Arteta made five changes for the visit of the Blades and it was Nketiah – in for the injured Gabriel Jesus – who proved the difference and ended a memorable afternoon wearing the captain’s armband.

Substitutes Fabio Vieira and Takehiro Tomiyasu wrapped up the points late on with a penalty and a close-range finish respectively on an afternoon where Arsenal’s fringe players took centre-stage.

Martin Ødegaard dropped to the bench in the most eye-catching of Arteta’s alterations, which also saw Emile Smith Rowe make his first league start since May 2022.

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The victory took Arsenal up to second place, two points behind leaders and north London rivals Tottenham as Arteta’s men remained unbeaten after 10 league games.

For the Blades, this was a galling afternoon where – once their resolute defence was breached for the first goal just before the half-hour mark – the writing was on the wall.

The travelling fans sang the name of under pressure manager Paul Heckingbottom but they have still yet to see their team win on their return to the top-flight, with just one point on the board.

[ Premier League table ]

Wolves 2 Newcastle United 2

Hwang Hee-chan’s seventh goal of the season earned Wolves a point as they twice came from behind in a 2-2 draw at home against Newcastle.

Callum Wilson scored a first-half brace for the visitors, including a controversial penalty, to move on to seven goals from just nine Premier League appearances but it was not enough against a determined Wolves side who seemed to take inspiration from a sense of injustice in a feisty second half.

Wilson, starting in place of the injured Alexander Isak, acrobatically capitalised on a Jose Sa error to put Newcastle in front 22 minutes in but Mario Lemina, back in the Wolves side after suspension, headed the hosts level with his first goal in old gold 14 minutes later.

Wolves then fumed when Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot on the stroke of half-time, with minimal apparent contact when Hwang was guilty of a loose touch in his own box and Fabian Schar went down as he stepped in to take possession.

Wilson kept his cool through a lengthy VAR check and ignored the jeers to put Newcastle back in front despite Sa getting a strong hand to the spot-kick, but Hwang would make amends in the 71st minute with an equaliser that extends Wolves’ unbeaten run to five.

Chelsea 0 Brentford 2

Chelsea fell to a third home defeat of the season as Brentford maintained their 100 per cent winning record at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League with a deserved 2-0 victory.

Ethan Pinnock took advantage of non-existent marking to head the visitors in front shortly before the half-hour mark after Mauricio Pochettino’s side had failed to take advantage of a first half in which they dominated.

Thereafter there was little genuine attacking threat nor hope of salvation, as the hosts took a worrying backwards step towards the goal-shy, hesitant play that characterised the manager’s early games.

Robert Sanchez was embarrassed in added time after joining his team’s attack for a corner, failing to catch Neal Maupay in a foot race as he broke with the ball, allowing Bryan Mbeumo to score in an empty net to compound home fans’ woes.

Chelsea’s dire form at Stamford Bridge now stands at one win in their last 13 games in the league, with August’s victory over Luton their only success here in seven months.

Bournemouth 2 Burnley 1

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola claimed his maiden Premier League victory at the 10th time of asking with a 2-1 comeback win over Burnley thanks to a sensational 40-yard lob by Philip Billing and a lengthy video assistant referee call.

While internally Iraola had been under no pressure at Vitality Stadium, the noise externally was growing after the Cherries suffered a late defeat to Wolves last weekend, but they bounced back in style against a relegation rival.

It was actually Burnley who went ahead in the 11th minute when Charlie Taylor opened his account for the club on his 198th appearance with a sweet strike, but Antoine Semenyo’s fine solo effort ensured it was all square at half-time.

No winner appeared likely in the pouring rain with Clarets goalkeeper James Trafford impressive, but after the visitors gave away possession inside their own half, Billing spotted the England Under-21 international off his line and chipped the ball home from range.

Bournemouth did require VAR to intervene after Jay Rodriguez found the net late on but – after six minutes of deliberation by David Coote at Stockley Park – it was eventually ruled out for offside to give Bournemouth all three points.