Arsenal shocked at Swansea, QPR eliminate once again
Arsenal dropped ground in the race to safe a top-four complete as the Gunners slumped to a shock 3-2 defeat against Swansea Town, whilst Mark Hughes’s debut as QPR boss finished in a one- loss at Newcastle United on Sunday.
Arsene Wenger’s facet needed a win at the Liberty Stadium to keep tempo with fourth-put Chelsea, but Danny Graham’s 2nd-fifty percent winner condemned the north Londoners to their second successive league defeat.
Fifth-put Arsenal, overwhelmed by Fulham in their previous league outing, are now four points guiding Chelsea and ten driving Tottenham in 3rd.
Wenger left Thierry Henry on the bench regardless of his match-profitable cameo purpose against Leeds United at the begin of his brief return on financial loan from New York Red Bulls.
It did not seem like Henry would be missed as Robin van Persie set Arsenal in entrance in the fifth second.
After a impressive 2011, this was van Persie’s initial objective of the new yr and the Dutch ahead took it in style, jogging onto Andrey Arshavin’s pass ahead of clipping a great strike earlier Swansea goalkeeper Michel Vorm at his in the vicinity of submit.
But Swansea have misplaced only after at house since winning marketing from the Championship and the Welsh club drew level in the 16th minute when Scott Sinclair converted a penalty following Aaron Ramsey was harshly ruled to have tripped Nathan Dyer.
Swansea took the direct in the 57th second when Ramsey authorized Joe Allen to steal possession and slip a pass to Dyer, who punished Arsenal’s poor marking with a ferocious strike previous Wojciech Szczesny.
Henry created his return to the Premier League soon after a 5-year absence in the the 63rd minute and the Gunners drew amount thanks to Theo Walcott’s composed end 6 minutes later.
However, Arsenal’s defensive frailties have been subjected less than sixty seconds later on as Swansea striker Graham discovered room to drill a exceptional shot into the far corner of Szczesny’s aim and safe the hosts’ 1st win more than their site visitors given that 1982.
In the day’s early gameplay, new QPR boss Hughes noticed Leon Best give Newcastle victory at St James’ Park.
Hughes was appointed on Tuesday next Neil Warnock’s sacking, but the arrival of the previous Fulham, Manchester Town, Blackburn Rovers and Wales boss failed to galvanise his new staff, who continue being third-bottom of the table.
Very best is deputising for Demba Ba, at present absent on Africa Cup of Countries duty with Senegal, and he ensured the in-type striker would not be missed with a fine winner in the 37th second to raise Newcastle into sixth place – four factors off the Champions League spots.
I was happy with the players’ application – they gave me everything they had, Hughes explained.
Obviously we have been accomplished with a small little bit of person talent in our very own box. We designed a amount of reasonable odds and on yet another day those will go in for us.
It would have been excellent clearly if we could have got something out of the gameplay because overall I felt we deserved one thing.
It’s a hard area to arrive, we recognize that. It was in no way going to be straightforward so that is why I’m encouraged by what I noticed.
Hughes – who made six alterations to QPR’s commencing line-up – ought to have been encouraged when Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jay Bothroyd hit the woodwork early on, even though Newcastle lost important midfielder Yohan Cabaye to harm in the 25th moment.
But Alan Pardew’s crew took the factors thanks to a clinical energy from Very best, who cleverly tricked his way earlier Luke Youthful before slotting property his very first aim given that September.
AFP