Premier League: Granit Xhaka’s blunder prices Arsenal in 1-1 draw with Burnley

Image Source : AP Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka heads the ball through the English Premier League soccer match between Burnley and Arsenal at Turf Moor stadium in Burnley, England, Saturday, March 6
Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka gifted a weird equalizer to Burnley in a 1-1 draw within the Premier League on Saturday that additional broken his crew’s possibilities of reaching the European qualification positions.
Xhaka acquired a move from goalkeeper Bernd Leno inside Arsenal’s penalty space and tried a dangerous move round Burnley striker Chris Wood to teammate David Luiz along with his weaker proper foot. The ball went straight to Wood and deflected into the online off the striker’s hip within the thirty ninth minute.

“There is always risk to play out from the back but this is our style,” Leno said. “I think we have more than enough situations where it works to our advantage.”
That purpose canceled out a sixth-minute opener by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in a recreation that solely actually got here to life within the ultimate quarter-hour.
After Arsenal was denied a penalty for an obvious handball towards substitute Erik Pieters, the Burnley defender appeared to present away a spot kick in a separate incident within the 84th when a goal-bound volley from Nicolas Pepe appeared to strike Pieters’ arm and deflect onto the crossbar.
Pieters was initially proven a purple card, however VAR regarded on the incident and deemed the ball hit his shoulder, so each the awarding of the penalty and the sending-off had been overturned.

“I’m a fan of VAR,” Burnley manager Sean Dyche said. “We know it has to be streamlined but that is where it’s worth its weight in gold.”
Burnley additionally got here near snatching victory, with Leno first tipping over a dipping long-range effort from Pieters earlier than saving along with his toes from Wood.
Then, within the ultimate seconds, Arsenal substitute Dani Ceballos struck the put up following a goalmouth scramble.
“It’s a really tough place to come on a difficult pitch, but I have to say we should have scored the big chances we had,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. “When you miss the chances we had, and you do not get decisions, it is complicated to win football games.”
On the primary penalty incident involving Pieters, when the ball struck his outstretched left arm after coming off the boot of Pepe, Arteta mentioned: “If that is not a penalty, then someone needs to explain what one is.”
Arsenal began the sport 9 factors from the European spots and has solely 11 video games left. This newest setback might even see Arteta focus much more on the Europa League, the place Arsenal is into the final 16 and faces Olympiakos over two legs. The Europa League winner qualifies for the Champions League.
Burnley moved seven factors away from the relegation zone.