Arsenal temporarily ascends to the Premier League summit by triumphing over relegation-threatened Luton with a 2-0 victory on Wednesday.
Martin Odegaard broke the deadlock followed by an own goal from Daiki Hashioka in the opening half, securing a comfortable win for the Gunners. This propelled Arsenal one point clear of Liverpool and into the pole position in the closely contested title race, albeit only for a day.
Ahead of the encounter with a struggling Luton side, Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta opted for rotation, making five alterations from the squad that drew against Manchester City. Notably, Bukayo Saka was absent due to a minor injury sustained in the previous fixture.
The outcome was largely determined before halftime, with Arsenal seizing control. Odegaard’s strike in the 24th minute, following a neat exchange with Kai Havertz, provided the breakthrough. Shortly before the interval, Emile Smith Rowe’s bustling run down the left flank culminated in Hashioka inadvertently diverting the ball into his own net while attempting to thwart a scoring opportunity for Reiss Nelson.
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Although Nelson was initially celebrated as the scorer, the goal was eventually credited as an own goal, prompting a collective sigh from the fans.
Unlike their previous encounter, where Arsenal required a last-gasp winner, this match saw them comfortably maintain their lead in the second half, with goalkeeper David Raya rarely troubled.
Luton, entrenched in the relegation zone, faced another setback, remaining three points adrift of safety in 18th place.
With this victory, Arsenal stakes its claim at the summit, albeit temporarily, as the Premier League narrative unfolds further.
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