Arsenal remains top as rivals win
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Arsenal stayed top of the Premier League after scoring two late goals in a 2-0 win over Cardiff while fellow title rivals Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool also started the year with victories on Wednesday.
However, the league trophy looks more out of reach than ever for Manchester United after the reigning champions lost 2-1 at home to Tottenham and fell 11 points behind Arsenal.
Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott scored Arsenal’s goals at Emirates Stadium to beat a resilient Cardiff team and frustrated the hosts for 88 minutes in the driving rain.
“We have a special spirit in the side and you know we’ll fight until the last minute in the game,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
City remained a point behind in second after a 3-2 win at Swansea, while Chelsea’s 3-0 victory at Southampton in awful weather conditions ensured Jose Mourinho’s team stayed in third place, two points behind the leaders.
After two consecutive losses, Liverpool climbed back into the top four after Luis Suarez scored his 20th goal of the season in a 2-0 win over Hull.
Suarez set a Premier League record after reaching the milestone in just 15 games after missing five matches with a suspension. He doubled the Reds’ lead in the 50th minute with a perfect free kick curled into the top left corner after Daniel Agger had headed home Philippe Coutinho’s corner to make it 1-0 in the 36th.
“It was our best win of the season,” said Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers. “After a tough period, to get a result like that against a very good team.”
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard made his return off the bench to play his first game since picking up a hamstring injury in early December.
Spurs climbed above United into sixth place — two points behind Liverpool — after goals by Emmanuel Adebayor and Christian Eriksen earned them a second straight league win at Old Trafford.
United has now lost four games at home this season.
United manager David Moyes was incensed with referee Howard Webb for not awarding a penalty to United after Ashley Young went down in the box.
“It was a scandal,” fumed Moyes. “It’s reckless, it’s late, it’s in the penalty box, I don’t know what else you can say.
“If you follow through on a player anywhere else on the pitch, foot-high, it’s a sending off and a penalty kick.”
TV pundits in Britain had backed Webb’s decision to not award a penalty.
Arsenal had to wait until two minutes from time before Bendtner gave the Gunners reasons to celebrate the new year when he pounced from a rebound. Walcott chipped the ball over goalkeeper David Marshall to round out the scoring in injury time.
In other games, Everton fell to fifth by being held 1-1 by Stoke, Aston Villa beat last-place Sunderland 1-0, Fulham earned a comeback 2-1 win over West Ham, Crystal Palace drew 1-1 with Norwich, and West Bromwich Albion topped Newcastle 1-0.
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