Arsenal stretches lead at the top of Premier League after Man City held by Everton

Arsenal couldn’t have asked for a much better end to year.

Gunners stretched ir Premier League le to seven points with a 4-2 win at Brighton on Saturday, having seen ir two closest challengers — Manchester City and Newcastle — both drop points earlier in day.

Perhaps it’s really time to start believing for a team that hasn’t won league title since unbeaten “Invincibles” did so in 2004.

“Of course at start of season if you asked us if we wanted this (position at New Year’s) we would bite your hand off,” said Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, who netted first goal against Brighton after little more than a minute. “It is a great opportunity we have, and it’s a great place we have put ourselves in.”

Martin Odegaard and Eddie Nketiah also scored to put Arsenal 3-0 up by 47th and seemingly cruising to an easy win, but visitors still endured an unnecessarily nervy finish as Brighton’s resistance only ended when an 89th-minute goal that would have me it 4-3 was ruled out for offside after a VAR check.

That helped Mikel Arteta’s side take full vantage of City’s slip-up earlier in day, when anor goal from Erling Haaland wasn’t enough to prevent defending champion from being held to a 1-1 home draw by Everton thanks to a stunning equalizer from Demarai Gray. Third-place Newcastle also saw a six-game winning streak end with a 0-0 draw against Leeds.

Manchester City held

Haaland seemed to have me difference for City once again when Riy Mahrez slalomed his way through area and pulled back for Norway striker, who finished clinically on turn for his 21st league goal.

But Gray responded for Everton when he burst into area, held ball up — and nearly slipped in process — before curling a sublime effort inside far post just after hour.

“Dropping points at home is always tough but I’m always trying to make our game good and we have continued to do it,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “y me a fantastic goal and when that happens you say congratulations but in general we did really well.”

Newcastle streak ends

Newcastle was on a run of six straight Premier League wins but couldn’t find a way past Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

Defender Fabian Schar h best chances but wasted three good opportunities as Leeds held firm to end a two-game losing streak.

“ desire was re, quality was re but finishing wasn’t re. We h a number of opportunities that normally we take,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said.

Still, he called 2022 “a year of real progress” as team is fighting for a top-four finish under its new Saudi ownership.

“re are big challenges ahe but we look forward to those,” Howe said.