Arsenal’s title hopes of winning its first English Premier League in many years received a major boost after defeating Leicester football club 1-0 at King Power Stadium.
Gabriel Martinelli’s goal was enough to give the Premier League leaders a hard-fought win in the thrilling encounter.
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The Brazilian struck in the first minute of the second half, latching on to a deft pass from Leandro Trossard to roll his shot past Danny Ward.
Trossard had a fine first-half goal disallowed after Arsenal’s Ben White held Ward in the build-up.
Leicester, who remain 14th, were lacklustre although Kelechi Iheanacho had a goal flagged for offside shortly after Trossard’s disallowed effort and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall curled a shot just wide in the second half.
However, the Gunners closest rival Manchester City also defeated its opponent Bournemouth Football Club to reduce the tally on the log to just two points but Arsenal have a match in hand.
Erling Haaland maintained his goal-a-game ratio since his summer arrival by tucking home a close-range second for his 27th top-flight goal of the season to end a relatively lean spell of one in six games.
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Phil Foden punished Philip Billing’s wayward pass to add City’s third before half-time, and Bournemouth’s misery was completed after the break when Chris Mepham deflected an Alvarez volley into his own net.
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