Arsenal get dramatic title race twist as Mikel Arteta favourite hands Liverpool major blow

View 2 Images

Arsenal have a golden chance to narrow the gap on Liverpool in the Premier League title race when they take on Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon. The Gunners have already slipped up this season, while Liverpool had won every match before their trip to Selhurst Park.

Arne Slot's team were far from impressive in several of those victories, requiring late goals to overcome Bournemouth , Burnley , and Newcastle United in the Premier League. The crucial goal in their 1-0 triumph over the Gunners also came with just seven minutes of regular time remaining.

The Gunners also dropped points to Manchester City , with Gabriel Martinelli rescuing a point for his team from that encounter at the Emirates Stadium.

Before the start of gameweek six, Liverpool were five points ahead of Arsenal and could have widened that gap with anything but defeat to Palace. Maintaining their winning streak started in the worst possible way when Ismalia Sarr nudged home the loose ball from a corner after only nine minutes.

The Eagles squandered good opportunities to extend their lead and their wastefulness in front of goal seemed set to cost them when Federico Chiesa netted an equaliser just as stoppage time was about to begin.

In a surprising turn of events, it was Crystal Palace who scored the decisive goal, thanks to former Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah. Marc Guehi kept an attack alive with a headed flick-on in the Liverpool box, which fell perfectly for Nketiah to control and slot past Alisson.

Despite a challenging first season with the Eagles, where he managed just seven goals and struggled with injuries, this moment will surely be remembered fondly by both him and those associated with his former club.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had given Nketiah numerous opportunities during his time at the Gunners, and despite not always delivering, it's likely that Arteta remains a big fan of the 26-year-old.

View 2 Images

"I'm really happy for him, an academy player, to experience in the Premier League a hat-trick," Arteta confessed back in October 2023 after Nketiah netted three times against Sheffield United.

"He needs to enjoy the moment. He fully deserves it and hopefully there are many more to come. He's got an eye for goal. You look at his stats from the last 10 years. What he's done is remarkable. He needs minutes, opportunities and service. If he gets that, Eddie is going to score goals, that's for sure.

"He's a great player for Arsenal. He can be better, yes. And the best thing is the talent that he's got, but especially his mentality is incredible. When he has that mentality with that talent, he's going to get much better."

---

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.