Arsenal extend lead as City, Newcastle stumble
Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah grabbed early goals in each half for Arsenal as they won 4-2 away to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday in the final Premier League game of 2022 to open up a seven-point lead at the top of the table. Arsenal top the standings on 43 points with second-placed Manchester City, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton earlier in the day, on 36 and Newcastle United, who drew 0-0 with Leeds, two points further back in third. Saka scored after two minutes and Martin Odegaard added another before the break, before an Nketiah strike just after halftime looked to have wrapped up all three points for the Gunners. However, a Kaoru Mitoma goal in the 65th minute threw Brighton a lifeline and though Gabriel Martinelli netted a fourth for Arsenal, Evan Ferguson made it 4-2 to set up a grandstand finish. Mitoma thought he had made it 4-3 in the 89th minute but the goal was chalked off after a VAR review found that he had come from an offside position, as the Gunners held on to close out the year with a win. City slipped off the pace despite Erling Haaland making a positive start for Pep Guardiola's men when he latched on to Riyad Mahrez's pass to tap home his 21st league goal of the season. After a number of stoppages early in the second half, with one taking over six minutes as the assistant referee's communications headset was repaired, Demarai Gray levelled for the visitors. The Everton winger surged up the left-hand flank in a rare counter-attack before cutting inside and unleashing a curling effort from the edge of the box which left City goalkeeper Ederson beaten. Looking for their seventh successive league win against Leeds, Newcastle struggled to create clear openings in the first half, New Zealand striker Chris Wood going closest for the hosts. Wood was again presented with a golden chance early in the second half, but was thwarted by a fine save from Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier, before Sean Longstaff fired over when put through on goal. Chances continued to come and go for Newcastle, but they were unable to find a late winner despite creating plenty of pressure, leaving the hosts provisionally third in the standings, two points ahead of Manchester United in fourth. Southampton will end the year rock bottom of the Premier League and facing a fight for survival after conceding a late goal to slide to a 2-1 defeat by Fulham.  Crystal Palace scored twice from set pieces in the first half to beat Bournemouth 2-0 away, while Manchester United beat Wolves 1-0 in the early game. (Reuters)