Title-chasing Arsenal have opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League as Gabriel Martinelli’s double eased them to a 4-0 thrashing of relegation-threatened Everton at the Emirates Stadium.
The hosts were initially frustrated by their struggling visitors but goals from Bukayo Saka and Martinelli shortly before halftime put them in command as they took maximum advantage of their game in hand over second-placed Manchester City.
Captain Martin Odegaard made it 3-0 with a close-range finish in the 71st minute before Martinelli grabbed his second of the evening to complete the rout.
A third-straight victory since losing at home to City in February lifted Arsenal to 60 points from 25 games, five clear of their Manchester rivals.
Everton, who now have only one victory from their last 27 league visits to Arsenal, had begun brightly and looked capable of taking something from the game.
But once they fell behind, a 14th league defeat of the season became almost a formality.
They remain third from bottom with 21 points having played a game more than the teams around them.
At Anfield, second-half strikes from Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah earned Liverpool a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Reds, who drew 0-0 at Crystal Palace at the weekend to follow their 5-2 Champions League humbling by Real Madrid, were made to work hard on a rainy night as they moved up to sixth in the table.
They now lie six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with a game in hand.
Meanwhile in the FA Cup, Manchester United fought back from 1-0 down to overpower West Ham 3-1 and reach the quarter-finals, while EPL sides Tottenham and Southampton both fell to lower-league opposition.
Three days after they won the League Cup, United trailed to Said Benrahma’s 54th-minute strike at Old Trafford but an own goal by West Ham’s Nayef Aguerd and late strikes from Alejandro Garnacho and Fred sent the hosts into the last eight.
They will host fellow top-flight outfit Fulham in the next round.
League Two Grimsby provided the shock of the night, continuing their dream FA Cup run as two penalties from Gavan Holohan knocked out Southampton on their own ground.
Grimsby, sitting 16th in the fourth-tier, moved into the FA Cup’s last eight for the first time in 84 years, where they will face Premier League high-flyers Brighton.
Tottenham suffered a 1-0 loss at Championship side Sheffield United, Iliman Ndiaye scoring 11 minutes from time for the tier-two side to stun the visitors.
Sheffield United’s reward is an all-Championship last-eight tie against Blackburn.
Championship leaders Burnley beat Fleetwood Town 1-0 in the other tie to earn a visit to Manchester City in the last eight.
FA Cup quarter-final draw:
Manchester City v Burnley
Manchester United v Fulham
Brighton & Hove Albion v Grimsby Town
Sheffield United v Blackburn Rovers
Ties to be played between March 17-19.
© AAP
Discussion about this post