Arsenal of England youngster, Bukayo Saka got a freak goal in Saturday’s English Premier League London derby against Chelsea, who also had one on target from Tammy Abraham, while Alex Iwobi continued his new vein of rich form with Everton.
Megasportsarena.com reports that, while Iwobi kept up his revived form as right-back with The Toffees, talk of the town on Boxing Day in the EPL was Saka, who was on song along with Alexandre Lacazette and Granit Xhaka on the scoresheet.
Saka also dazzled along with Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli in restoring The Gunners’ drive and hunger in 3-1 triumph over Chelsea, whose only goal was a late consolation from Abraham.
The Nigerian-born youngster was one of the hosts’ heroes, as were Lacazette, Xhaka, and Bernd Leno, who pulled off a late penalty save to ensure an end-of-year-mantra did not return to haunt Arsenal and their streak-busting victory over their London rivals was driven by an injection of youth.
Twenty-year-old Emile Smith Rowe, along with 19-year-old pair Martinelli and man of the match Saka, rose to the challenge – and, crucially, pulled their team-mates along with them.
Rowe ran further than any player on the pitch in the first half: 5.74km, Saka ran further than any player on the pitch across the 90 minutes: 11.49km, and Martinelli made more sprints than any player on the pitch across the 90 minutes: 20.
Saka’s long-range lob over Edouard Mendy early in the second half put Arsenal three up before Abraham sparked a late rally, but it proved too little, too late for Chelsea, as Leno saved Jorginho’s stoppage-time penalty to end their hopes of pulling off the unlikeliest of comebacks.
Arsenal climb up to 14th after their first league win since November 1, eight adrift of Chelsea who drop a place to sixth and miss the chance to move second in the table after a third consecutive away defeat.
Iwobi was also in full flight, as Gylfi Sigurdsson’s late strike secured Everton a narrow 1-0 win against Sheffield United on Boxing Day to lift them up to second in the Premier League table.
It was a tight game at a wet and windy Bramall Lane, with chances for both in a goalless first half. David McGoldrick and Oliver Burke went close for winless Sheffield United while Dominic Calvert-Lewin just flashed an effort wide at the other end.
After a slow start Everton grew into the encounter in stormy conditions at Bramall Lane, with Iwobi – the visitors’ most creative outlet in the first half – snapping a volley goalwards but it went straight into Aaron Ramsdale’s waiting arms.
Iwobi’s side are now unbeaten in five Premier League game, winning their last four, and have gone above Manchester United and Leicester into second, two points behind local rivals Liverpool ahead of Sunday’s games.
