LONDON (BN24) — Arsenal moved to the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over West Ham on Saturday, while Manchester United handed manager Ruben Amorim a crucial boost by defeating Sunderland 2-0 at Old Trafford.
In Mikel Arteta’s 300th game in charge, Arsenal demonstrated their strength with a convincing win at the Emirates Stadium to bolster their hopes of winning their first league title in 22 years. However, the victory came at a cost as captain Martin Odegaard was forced off injured before halftime for the third time this season.
Declan Rice, who transferred from West Ham to Arsenal for a club-record £105 million ($141 million) last year, ended West Ham’s resistance by scoring on a rebound after Alphonse Areola saved Eberechi Eze’s shot. Bukayo Saka secured the win from the penalty spot in the second half after El Hadji Malick Diouf fouled Jurrien Timber. Arsenal now sit one point ahead of Liverpool, who play later against Chelsea. West Ham remain in the relegation zone following their defeat.
At Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim, under pressure due to poor results, enjoyed a rare convincing win to ease concerns ahead of the international break. The home crowd observed a moment of silence to honor victims of a recent terror attack on a Manchester synagogue.
Amorim’s team selection paid off as goalkeeper Senne Lammens kept a clean sheet on his debut. Mason Mount opened the scoring with a well-taken finish from Bryan Mbeumo’s cross in the eighth minute. Bruno Fernandes narrowly missed with a shot that hit the woodwork as United dominated the first half.
Benjamin Sesko doubled the lead with a sharp finish from a long throw-in, marking his first goal at Old Trafford since his £74 million move from RB Leipzig. Sunderland had an initial penalty awarded late in the half, but VAR overturned the decision due to insufficient contact.
Sunderland, who began the weekend in fifth place after a strong start to their return to the Premier League, suffered a reality check with the loss, ending their four-game unbeaten streak.
Elsewhere, Tottenham ended Leeds United’s year-long unbeaten league run with a 2-1 victory at Elland Road. Mohammed Kudus scored his first goal for Spurs to seal the win after Noah Okafor had equalized for Leeds following Mathys Tel’s opener. Tottenham moved into third place, with manager Thomas Frank praising the team’s defensive resolve.
Liverpool can reclaim the top spot if it wins their upcoming match at Chelsea. The defending champions have lost their last two games, including a recent defeat to Crystal Palace and a Champions League loss to Galatasaray. Chelsea, the current Club World Cup champions, is also struggling with a three-game winless streak in the league.
