EPL: Arsenal Narrow Gap on Liverpool; Marmoush’s Hat-Trick Powers Man City
Arsenal overcame injury setbacks to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool with a 2-0 victory over Leicester City, while Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush delivered a stunning performance, scoring a hat-trick in a 4-0 rout of Newcastle United on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta’s side faced a challenging match at the King Power Stadium, where they struggled to break the deadlock against a resilient Leicester team. With several key players sidelined by injuries, including Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli, Arteta made a bold decision to deploy Spain midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift striker in the closing stages.
The gamble paid off as Merino scored twice in the final nine minutes, extending Arsenal’s unbeaten league run to 15 matches. In the 81st minute, Ethan Nwaneri delivered a pinpoint cross that Merino headed past Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen. Just seven minutes later, Leandro Trossard’s cross found Merino, who cleverly evaded the Leicester defense to slot home his second goal.
“This win was crucial for us,” Arteta said after the match. “In the first half, we struggled to find our rhythm, but the second half was a different story. Mikel’s impact was huge in securing the two goals.”
Arsenal’s triumph puts them within four points of Liverpool, who have the chance to extend their lead back to seven points if they defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield on Sunday.
At the Etihad Stadium, Omar Marmoush shone for Manchester City, scoring his first goals for the club since moving from Eintracht Frankfurt in January. The Egyptian forward opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a deft lob over Newcastle’s goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, before adding a second just five minutes later with a powerful shot that deflected off Kieran Trippier.
Marmoush completed his hat-trick in the 33rd minute, receiving a pass from Savinho and finishing calmly from inside the area. His stellar performance helped City bounce back from a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League.
“Today, we remembered what we are capable of,” said City manager Pep Guardiola. “Marmoush showed his quality and pace, and I’m pleased with the intensity we displayed.”
James McAtee added a fourth goal in the 84th minute, providing City with a much-needed boost as they look to secure a strong finish in the league and prepare for their upcoming clash against Real Madrid.
In other Premier League action, Nottingham Forest suffered a 2-1 defeat to Fulham, while Bournemouth climbed to fifth place with a 3-1 victory over bottom-placed Southampton. Everton secured a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace, and Brentford clinched a 1-0 victory at West Ham.
