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Van Gaal defiant after Blues draw as Gunners soar
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ARSENAL moved top of the English Premier League with a 2-0 win against Bournemouth on Monday, while Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal said there was “not any reason” for him to resign despite a 0-0 draw with Chelsea extending his team’s winless run to eight matches.
Gabriel Paulista and Mesut Ozil led Arsenal to the top — for 24 hours at least — with goals in each half, while goalkeeper Petr Cech set a Premier League clean sheet record with his 170th shutout.
The victory was an authoritative response from Arsenal after losing 0-4 to Southampton on Saturday. Arsenal is a point clear of second-place Leicester and four points above Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City. Leicester can replace Arsenal at the top by beating City in yesterday’s late clash.
At Old Trafford, United produced an attacking display against Chelsea to end its four-match losing run but missed good chances for a first league win since November 21 against Watford.
Juan Mata and Anthony Martial hit the crossbar and the post, while Thibaut Courtois denied Ander Herrera from point blank range and Wayne Rooney missed from six yards late on.
Chelsea also had chances to score, with David De Gea turning John Terry’s header over the bar, before making an impressive double save from Pedro and Cesar Azpilicueta early in the second half.
But Chelsea, playing its second game under interim manager Guus Hiddink after Jose Mourinho’s sacking, also wasted the game’s best opportunity when Nemanja Matic raced clean through before blazing the ball wildly over.
Champion Chelsea, which was minus the suspended Diego Costa and played without a recognized striker, is 14th with 20 points.
The draw leaves United five points behind the Champions League positions but Van Gaal, who said he could resign as manager after defeat at Stoke City two days ago, was encouraged by his team’s display.
“When the players can give such a performance, when there is a lot of pressure, then it is not any reason to resign for me,” Van Gaal told BT Sport. “I shall not do that. It is not a question of staying, it is a question of fulfilling my contract.”
The Dutchman bemoaned United’s luck in front of goal. “It was a very good performance but you have to score ... we don’t have the luck we need,” he said. “We were the dominant team.”
Elsewhere, Tottenham won its third straight league match to provisionally go third with a late 2-1 win over 10-man Watford.
Erik Lamela put Tottenham ahead with a low effort in the 17th minute before Odion Ighalo leveled for host Watford with his 14th goal of the season.
The equalizer ushered in a period of dominance by Watford, but it had Nathan Ake sent off in the 63rd before substitute Son Heung-min hit Tottenham’s winner in the 89th.
“It was a crazy atmosphere and a really important goal for the team,” Son said. “We are so happy.”
Tottenham will be dislodged from third if City gets at least a draw against Leicester.
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