Smith-Rowe seals win for Arsenal over Watford, Everton and Spurs draw

Arsenal closed in on the Premier League top four after a second-half goal from Emile Smith-Rowe gave them a 1-0 home win over Watford on Sunday in manager Mikael Arteta’s 100th game in charge at the club.

Smith-Rowe netted Arsenal’s 100th league goal under Arteta as he drilled in a low shot from 18 metres after striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had missed a first half penalty for the home side, who also had two goals ruled out for offside.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goal for Arsenal was disallowed.Credit:PA

Bukayo Saka’s early effort was disallowed and Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster smothered Aubameyang’s 35th-minute spot kick before he also kept out a close-range Gabriel header with a superb reflex save.

But Foster was powerless in the 56th minute when Arsenal defender Ben White surged forward after winning possession in midfield and teed up Smith-Rowe, who found the back of the net with a first-time shot.

Aubameyang had a 73rd-minute goal chalked off and Joshua King missed Watford’s solitary chance in the 86th before the visitors had Juraj Kucka sent off for a second yellow card after he fouled Arsenal’s left back Nuno Tavares.

Everton and Spurs in scrappy draw

Antonio Conte’s first Premier League game in charge of Tottenham Hotspur ended in a scrappy 0-0 draw at Everton as a crucial VAR intervention helped them scrape a point.

Tottenham’s Tanguy Ndombele is challenged by Seamus Coleman and Anthony Gordon of Everton.Credit:Getty Images

The pivotal moment in a game of few clear chances came just past the hour mark when referee Chris Kavanagh awarded a penalty against Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris for a foul on Richarlison, but changed his mind after checking the pitchside monitor.

Tottenham substitute Giovani Lo Celso almost won it for Spurs late on with a shot against the post, but a draw was just about a fair result for the two out-of-form sides.

Everton ended a feisty match with 10 men after Mason Holgate was sent off in stoppage time for a wild tackle on Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojgberg.

Conte will take some satisfaction from Tottenham’s first league clean sheet for more than two months as the Londoners drew for the first time this season.

Nothing between Leeds and Leicester

Leeds United winger Raphinha’s superb free kick was cancelled out by Leicester City forward Harvey Barnes in an entertaining 1-1 draw at Elland Road.

Brazilian Raphinha fired Leeds ahead in the 26th minute of a breathless opening half with a vicious low free kick that beat a diving Kasper Schmeichel and crept into the bottom left corner before Leicester hit back in style two minutes later.

Leeds United’s Jack Harrison shoots.Credit:PA

Barnes darted into the penalty area and unleashed a curling right-footed effort from a tight angle that gave Illan Meslier no chance in the Leeds goal to equalise and silence the raucous home crowd.

Leeds spurned a great chance to go ahead shortly after the break, as an unmarked Jack Harrison failed to keep his effort from going over crossbar from point-blank range following a flick on from fellow midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

The hosts continued to dominate possession and Rodrigo was next to go close as the Spanish forward lashed his volley into the side netting after meeting Stuart Dallas’s probing cross from the right.

Leicester’s Ademola Lookman tapped in from close range in the 67th minute but the effort was disallowed after the intervention of the Video Assistant Referee as the forward was deemed to be offside when Jamie Vardy headed the ball to him.

Reuters

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