PA Media/dpa
London
Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge suffered a setback after Joao Pedro’s second-half penalty earned Brighton a 1-1 draw at the Amex Stadium.
The second-placed Gunners were on course to cut the gap on leaders Liverpool to three points following an early opener from 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri.
But, after being felled by an accidental headbutt from William Saliba, stand-in Seagulls captain Pedro fired home from the spot to level in the 61st minute.
The result leaves Mikel Arteta’s men five points adrift of Arne Slot’s table-topping Reds, having played two games more, while 10th-placed Albion deservedly registered a sixth draw of an eight-match winless run which stretches back to November.
New England manager Thomas Tuchel was among those in attendance as Arsenal arrived in Sussex seeking to claim a fourth successive top-flight victory to keep up the pressure at the top.
Earlier, Erling Haaland scored twice as recovering Manchester City made it back-to-back wins by beating West Ham 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
After a Vladimir Coufal own goal had put City in front, Haaland - who now has 16 Premier League goals this season - scored either side of the break, and Phil Foden added the fourth before Niclas Füllkrug pulled one back for the visitors.
It is the first time the champions have recorded two victories in a row since October, although Pep Guardiola’s men stay sixth in the table.
They are a point behind fifth-placed Newcastle, who extended their winning run to five games in the league and six in all competitions as they came from behind to triumph 2-1 at Tottenham.
Alexander Isak netted a 38th-minute winner, getting on the scoresheet for a seventh league game on the bounce to take him to 14 top-flight goals this term, after Anthony Gordon had cancelled out Dominic Solanke’s early opener.
Ange Postecoglu’s depleted Spurs, now lying 12th, have won only one of their last eight league matches.
Chelsea remain fourth after being held 1-1 at Crystal Palace, making it four games without a win. The Blues led through a Cole Palmer finish just prior to the quarter-hour mark but were denied victory by Jean-Philippe Mateta’s equaliser in the 82nd minute.
Seventh-placed Bournemouth, unbeaten in eight, were 1-0 winners against Everton at the Vitality Stadium courtesy of David Brooks’ goal with 13 minutes of normal time to go.
Aston Villa are eighth having secured a 2-1 home win over second-bottom Leicester thanks to Leon Bailey’s 76th-minute strike, with Ross Barkley having earlier put them in front before Stephy Mavididi replied.
It was a fifth consecutive loss for the Foxes, while doomed-looking basement boys Southampton suffered their 16th defeat in 20 league games this season as they were thrashed 5-0 at home by Brentford.
Bryan Mbeumo notched a brace, the second goal from the penalty spot, and there were also efforts from Kevin Schade early on plus Keane Lewis-Potter and Yoane Wissa in stoppage time.
Premier League
Saturday Results
Tottenham 1 Newcastle 2
Bournemouth 1 Everton 0
Aston Villa 2 Leicester City 1
Crystal Palace 1 Chelsea 1
Southampton 0 Brentford 5
Man City 4 West Ham United 1
Brighton & Hove 1 Arsenal 1.
