Arsenal, Spurs maintain CL chase

LONDON (AP):

It’s as you were in the pursuit of Champions League (CL) qualification. At the other end of the Premier League, though, the relegation scrap just got even tighter.

Arsenal remained in fourth place after Gabriel’s header secured a 2-1 win at West Ham to stay two points ahead of Tottenham, after their north London rivals beat Leicester 3-1 yesterday through Son Heung-min’s double.

Chelsea look well placed to qualify for the Champions League despite now being only three points ahead of Arsenal, with four games remaining, after losing 1-0 at Everton.

It’s a result — secured by Richarlison — that gives Everton renewed hope of avoiding relegation after a 68-year stay in the top division.

Everton moved two points from safety with five matches to go and a game in hand over both Leeds and Burnley, which are just above the drop zone.

Richarlison’s four goals in his last five league matches is as many as he scored in his first 21 games of the season.

The latest came 59 seconds into the second half at Goodison Park. Richarlison and Demarai Gray pressured Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta into losing possession and the Brazilian benefited by sweeping a shot past goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

SON DOUBLE

Son is now on a career-high 19 Premier League goals in a season, only three behind Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah in the race for the Golden Boot.

Before scoring against Leicester, Son also provided the opener in the 22nd minute by delivering a corner for the unmarked Harry Kane to head into the bottom corner to end a five-game goalless run.

It also was Tottenham’s first attempt on target in 221 minutes.

The hosts struggled for another sight of goal until the hour mark, when they doubled their lead.

Cristian Romero was the architect, as he produced a crunching tackle on Caglar Soyuncu on the half-way line which set Dejan Kulusevski free, and the Swede raced clear and teed up Son, who found the bottom corner.

Son’s second came after he picked up the ball on the right, cut inside and curled a shot high into the net in the 79th minute from distance. The South Korea forward was denied a shot at a hat-trick after being substituted by manager Antonio Conte

DEFENDERS’ HEADERS

Like Leicester, seventh-place West Ham’s focus is on Europe and their second-leg game in the Europa League semi-finals against Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday.

Arsenal still found it hard going before Bukayo Saka’s corner was headed in by Rob Holding, in the 38th minute, for his first-ever Premier League goal since making his debut in 2016.

The lead lasted seven minutes as Jarrod Bowen levelled from close range before the break. But Arsenal went in front again nine minutes into the second half, when Gabriel Martinelli crossed to an unmarked Gabriel for a diving header that beat former Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski at the far post.

After three straight losses, Arsenal have now won three in a row.