Teenager Max Dowman stole the spotlight with a stoppage-time goal as Arsenal edged Everton 2-0 in a dramatic victory that moved the Gunners closer to their first Premier League title in 22 years.
Mikel Arteta’s side struggled to break down a resilient Everton defence for most of the match at the Emirates Stadium, with the breakthrough only arriving late in the game.
Swedish forward Viktor Gyokeres finally broke the deadlock in the 89th minute, capitalising on a costly error by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Pickford completely missed Dowman’s cross, allowing Piero Hincapie to bundle the ball back into the six-yard box for Gyokeres to tap into an empty net.
The late opener sparked jubilant scenes among Arsenal players and supporters as the club secured a fourth consecutive league victory.
There was still time for Dowman to add a second deep into stoppage time. The 16-year-old sprinted the length of the pitch to finish calmly after Pickford had come forward for an Everton corner that resulted in a rapid Arsenal counter-attack.
Dowman’s strike made him the youngest scorer in Premier League history and also Arsenal’s youngest-ever goalscorer.
The win moved Arsenal 10 points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who were due to face West Ham United later at the London Stadium.
Arsenal, who have not won a major trophy since 2020, are chasing their first English league title since 2004.
Despite an uneven performance against Everton, Arteta’s side continued their strong run during a crucial period of the season.
The Gunners next face Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie, which stands at 1-1, before meeting Manchester City in the EFL Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
Arsenal return to league action on April 11 against AFC Bournemouth.
Elsewhere, Chelsea suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Newcastle United, with Anthony Gordon scoring the only goal at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s difficult week followed a heavy 5-2 defeat to Paris Saint‑Germain in the Champions League last-16 first leg. The loss leaves the Blues three points behind Aston Villa and Manchester United in the race for the top four.
Meanwhile, Brighton & Hove Albion climbed into the top half of the table with a 1-0 win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, thanks to a goal from Yankuba Minteh.
At the bottom of the table, Burnley played out a goalless draw with Bournemouth at Turf Moor, leaving the Clarets eight points adrift of safety with eight matches remaining.
AFP
