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Sanchez scores two as Arsenal beat Man United 3-0; Liverpool derby ends in draw

Associated Press Sunday, 4 October 2015, 19:43 Last update: about 10 years ago

Alexis Sanchez's superb first-half double helped give Arsenal a 3-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday in a dominant display that propelled the London club into second place in the Premier League.

Arsenal decided the game in the opening 20 minutes after a furious start at the Emirates. Sanchez's sublime backheel-flick at the near post opened the scoring in the sixth minute, and Mesut Ozil doubled the lead a minute later when he coolly curled the ball home after being set up by Theo Walcott.

Sanchez's second was a fierce shot from the edge of the area in the 20th after a quick Arsenal passing move. It was Sanchez's fifth goal in two league matches after his hat trick against Leicester last week.

"That 25-minute period, no one could have dealt with us," said striker Theo Walcott, who set up Ozil's goal and was a constant threat with his pace up front. "That sends a message to the Premier League that we're here to be reckoned with."

The Gunners leapfrogged United into second place with 16 points, two behind leading Manchester City. United is just behind Arsenal on goal difference.

United entered the weekend as the league leader but couldn't cope with Arsenal's quick passing and high tempo as the Gunners looked like a completely different team to the one that lost 3-2 to Olympiakos at home in the Champions League in midweek.

"We were good because we decided to start strong, to press high," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "When we do that we can score goals, we know that."

All three goals came after well-worked passing moves. For the first one, Ozil received a pass near the byline and cut the ball back to Sanchez, who with his back to goal flicked it inside the near post. Less than a minute later, Ozil set Walcott free on a run down the left. Walcott drew the attention of four defenders in the box before passing back to the unmarked Ozil, who curled in with his left foot.

The third came after Aaron Ramsey combined with Walcott to feed Sanchez, who ran across the edge of the area and cut onto his right foot before firing into the far right corner.

"When you start a game like that you can never win a game," United manager Louis van Gaal said. "We lost every duel, every second ball. ... And they can play, they're a fantastic team."

Ramsey missed a chance to net a fourth before Petr Cech had to make his first real save just before halftime. Anthony Martial spun around Per Mertesacker inside the area and fired low, forcing Cech into a first-class save with his left foot.

United manager Louis van Gaal made a double substitution at halftime, bringing on Marouane Fellaini and Antonio Valencia for the ineffective Matteo Darmian, who struggled at right back against Sanchez's pace, and Memphis Depay.

The visitors had several chances to get back into the match in the second half, but Cech made a comfortable save from Ashley Young's shot in the 49th and then stopped a side-footed shot from Wayne Rooney in the 62nd.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane scored at the wrong end in his team's 2-2 draw at Swansea in the Premier League on Sunday but Christian Eriksen saved a point for the visitors with two brilliant free kicks.

Chasing a fourth straight league win for the first time since January 2014, Tottenham dominated for long periods but could not take its chances in open play.

Twice Spurs had to come from behind after Andre Ayew's header and then a mistake by Kane had given Swansea the lead.

Kane has only scored once for Spurs this season — in last week's 4-1 victory over league leader Manchester City — but the England striker found his own net when he miscued Jonjo Shelvey's corner after 31 minutes.

Everton and Liverpool drew 1-1 Sunday in the Premier League to keep Brendan Rodgers unbeaten in Merseyside derbies but still struggling to get his Reds properly firing.

Liverpool went ahead in the 41st minute after James Milner's corner saw Evertongoalkeeper Tim Howard stuck to his line and Danny Ings left unmarked to head home from four yards.

"I love every goal no matter what game it is," Ings said. "We fought from start to finish."

But any joy for Rodgers' team was short-lived as Liverpool characteristically let its lead disappear when Emre Can failed to clear properly after Gerard Deulofeu's cross and Romelu Lukaku reacted quickest to fire home in first-half stoppage time.

Everton dominated the second half but couldn't clinch the win at Goodison Park.

The Toffees have 13 points, one more than midtable Liverpool, from eight games.

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, with three goals in his last three meetings againstEverton, had a couple of early chances and Ings' angled volley dropped just over.

At the other end, Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet tipped over a free header from Steven Naismith, and then turned wide James McCarthy's drive.

Can needlessly got into a scuffle with Ross Barkley in the 33rd which resulted in both players getting yellow cards. The Germany international could easily have received a second caution for an overhead kick which connected with Gareth Barry but referee Martin Atkinson was lenient.

Everton's dominance after the interval saw the visitors lose their way entirely as long balls were pumped up to Ings to no avail.


 

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