14 Dec 2015

Arsenal go top of EPL

8:22 am on 14 December 2015

Arsenal have gone to the top of the English Premier League football standings with a 2-nil win at Aston Villa.

Arsenal player Olivier Giroud

Arsenal player Olivier Giroud Photo: PHOTOSPORT

West Bromwich Albion and Liverpool drew 2-all while Newcastle beat Tottenham 2-1.

Villa remain rooted at the bottom of the table after a club-record 15th league game without a win.

Look back Arsenal vs Aston Villa commentary here:

A landmark 50th Premier League goal from Olivier Giroud, a penalty converted four days after his Champions League hat-trick against Olympiakos Piraeus, swiftly brought more gloom to Villa Park after eight minutes.

Mesut Ozil then produced his 13th assist of the season to allow Aaron Ramsey to slot home a second goal in the 38th minute and enable Arsenal to move on to 33 points, one point clear of Manchester City and Leicester City.

Leicester have the chance to regain the leadership when they entertain Chelsea tomorrow.

Substitutes Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ayoze Perez scored late goals as Newcastle United ended Tottenham Hotspur's 14-game unbeaten Premier League run with a dramatic 2-1 away victory.

Look back at Newcastle v Tottenham commentary here:

Eric Dier's 39th-minute header set Spurs on course for a win that would have seen them move above Manchester United in fourth place in the table, only for Mitrovic to poke home a 74th-minute equaliser just two minutes after coming on.

Worse was to follow for the hosts as Perez struck a stoppage-time winner that saw Newcastle register a third successive league win at White Hart Lane - something they last achieved in 1911 and, more importantly, lifted Steve McClaren's men out of the relegation zone.

Spurs were seeking to go 15 successive top-flight games without defeat for the first time since 1967, but instead succumbed to their first loss since a 1-0 reverse at United on the opening day, leaving Mauricio Pochettino's side three points below the Champions League places.

Divock Origi's deflected 95th-minute strike rescued a point for Liverpool against a resolute West Brom.

Look back at West Brom vs Liverpool commentary here:

The home side began well and took the lead when Jordan Henderson finished a superb and patient passing move.

But Simon Mignolet's error gifted a goal to Craig Dawson of Albion, who were later furious when a delayed offside flag denied Olsson a goal.

Olsson looked to have headed West Brom to victory before substitute Origi's shot found the net deep in added time.

Such was the relief around Anfield at full-time that Reds boss Jurgen Klopp called his entire team together to conduct on-field celebrations in front of the Kop.

The point earned means Liverpool are ninth in the table, five points off the top four, while the two points lost leave West Brom 13th, six points above the bottom three.