Sanchez’s double for Arsenal, Gomes own goal hands victory to Stoke

ARSENAL 3 BOURNEMOUTH 1
Nov 27 (Reuters) – Two goals from Alexis Sanchez and another from Theo Walcott ended Bournemouth’s brave resistance at the Emirates stadium as Arsenal won 3-1 to stay in touch with the Premier League leaders on Sunday.

The visitors, for whom Jack Wilshere was ineligible against his parent club, endured a horrific start with two players booked inside seven minutes and a goal conceded after 12 when Steve Cook botched a back pass to his keeper to let in Sanchez for the easiest of openers.

Thoughts of an Arsenal procession were soon ended, however, with Callum Wilson equalising from the penalty spot after being bundled over by Nacho Monreal for Bournemouth’s first-ever goal against Arsenal.

Arsenal regained the ascendancy after the break when Monreal made amends by returning Sanchez’s pass across goal for Walcott to head his sixth league goal of the season. Sanchez completed the victory with a close-range shot in injury time.

WATFORD 0 STOKE CITY 1
Stoke City capitalised on an unlucky own goal by Heurelho Gomes to beat Watford 1-0 with an assured display that moved them clear of the Premier League relegation zone.

Watford were disrupted by an early injury to Younes Kaboul, who limped off injured halfway through the first half, and seldom threatened before conceding what turned out to be the decisive goal when Charlie Adam’s header from a corner bounced off the post on to the unwitting Gomes and into the net.

With Marko Arnautovic impressing, Stoke looked comfortable in midfield despite the absence of suspended Joe Allen and almost increased their lead after the break when Jon Walters just failed to get on the end of the Austrian’s weighted pass.

Watford brought on last season’s top scorer Odion Ighalo in search of the equaliser and went close when Daryl Janmaat blazed over the bar. Their frustration was obvious and a bad day was made worse by the late sending off of Miguel Britos for a second bookable offence.

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