Premier League reaction: Arsenal go second after win at Brentford
Transfer and gossip latest after January window opens
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Brentford 1-3 Arsenal
After closing the gap to Liverpool to six points with yesterday's win over Brentford, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was asked about his side's chances in the title race.
"The title race? We can only win our next match and see what happens. It's not in our hands, but what is within our power, we must do."
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Of course Arsenal can challenge Liverpool for the title, we are just half way through the season. Liverpool so far are purely relying on Salah, they are one injury away from opta reducing odds to 50%.
DT
Arsenal fans, look away! The Gunners have finished runner-up in the Premier League an incredible eight times - including the last two seasons.
Mikel Arteta's side pushed Manchester City all the way last year and fell a point short. They were five points adrift the previous season.
The Gunners also finished second in:
Image source, Getty ImagesIncredibly, eight teams have won the Premier League after pulling back a six-point gap or more after 19 games:
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I think Arsenal will close the gap but will not be able to overhaul Liverpool. The gap is too big and Liverpool have a game in hand. Arsenal getting a new striker will not make a difference to the way Liverpool are playing. I am an Arsenal fan by the way.
Raj, Ealing
Yes, we know it's only January, but is it safe to say the Premier League title race is down to just two teams?
Arsenal moved up to second place with their 3-1 win over Brentford yesterday, but Liverpool remain six points clear despite playing a game less.
The season's surprise package Nottingham Forest are eight points behind, while fourth-placed Chelsea are a further two points behind them.
So it is looking like the champions will be either Liverpool or Arsenal, although Opta's latest predictions show that the odds are heavily stacked in the Reds' favour - 89.9% to the Gunners' 9.5%.
Image source, Getty ImagesRight, before we double back to Arsenal, let's have a look at the day's main talking points so far:
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John:Mark @ 11:13 - What utter nonsense. In every corner that happens weekly across the entire world at every level, you've got defenders pulling attackers' shirts as the ball comes in. What part of that is 'playing the ball'? By your standards, we might as well just scrap corners all together. Ludicrous!
Plymouth 2-2 Bristol City
What did life look like for Plymouth after boss Wayne Rooney departed the club? Well, they scored a 91st-minute goal to secure a point at Bristol City.
Further north at Hillsborough, Josh Windass may well have wrapped up the goal of the season and it's only January! The Sheffield Wednesday man gave Derby keeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom no chance when hitting a stunner from inside his own half. Go and have a watch!
Image source, Getty ImagesAnother week done and dusted in the Championship and this is how we stand with promotion and play-off places up for grabs.
Sunderland were the big winners yesterday with their win over third-placed Sheffield United after Leeds and Burnley could only draw.
Image source, OptaRight, before returning to our morning debate on Arsenal and whether they can challenge for the title, let's quickly drop down into the Championship, where there was a full programme on New Year's Day...
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Mark: Re Luc, 10:50. The narrative about Arsenal is exactly justified, this is not American football where they have blockers, you have to play the ball, putting two or three players on the goalkeeper and not allowing him to challenge for the ball is against the rules. Soft officiating is letting them get away with it and they will continue to do it until the refs get a grip of it.
Let's have a quick look at the four transfers already completed by Premier League clubs in this transfer window, which opened on 1 January:
Brighton
Southampton
Tottenham
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesBrighton agreed to sign Diego Gomez from Inter Miami for a reported £10.7m on 10 December, but the deal could not officially go through until the January transfer window opened.
The 21-year-old Paraguay international was paraded in front of fans in Brighton's match at home to Crystal Palace on 15 December.
Manager Fabian Hurzeler said at the time of his signing: "He has already made a real impression both at club and international level.
"Like all young players who come to us from abroad, he will need a period of adjustment to the Premier League, but I feel he can make a big contribution and I'm looking forward to working with him."
Brighton v Arsenal (Sat, 17:30 GMT)
A final word from Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler on Paraguay midfielder Diego Gomez, who completed a move from Inter Miami on 1 January: "He had two, three weeks off on holiday, because in the MLS the season is finished, so he needs for sure a little bit of time.
"I'm sure he's in great shape, he trained hard during his holiday. I'm looking forward to seeing him as quick as possible on the pitch."
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Great performance to win last night at Brentford. Still would like the club to sign a striker. I think the loan market maybe the best option for the club. Try before you buy, so to speak? The likes of Arda Guler of Real Madrid and Dani Olmo of Barcelona could be options, but I would like the club to sign Evan Ferguson from Brighton on loan. If it doesn't work out, we still have long-term targets Benjamin Sesko and Dusan Vlahovic to chase in the summer. The club has wasted stacks of money in the past on average players, so we would get to see if they were up for the challenge when on loan.
Rob, Sutton
Brighton v Arsenal (Sat, 17:30 GMT)
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler on when Danny Welbeck will return from injury: "I can't say a clear schedule when he will be back - it can be next week, it can be quick, but it can also take two, three, four more weeks - so we really have to go day-by-day.
"He is without any pain so that's a really good thing and he's back on the pitch, but then we have to really go day-by-day and hopefully he will be back soon."
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The negative bias against Arsenal is really frustrating. Before Arsenal were told they were too soft and no plan B. Now that we are stronger and have a plan B and C, the critics say Arsenal are dirty and the new Stoke! Some people just hate Arsenal and will find anything to criticise the team. As for the title battle, let's not forget that it's not easy to be in front and protect a lead as Arsenal and Liverpool have experienced in the last few years. It won't be done before the 38 games are played.
Luc
Brighton v Arsenal (Sat, 17:30 GMT)
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler on New Year resolutions: "In general life it's good to have goals, but the football season starts in the summer, so in summer I think that's the time to set individual goals, team goals, therefore I'm not the biggest fan of doing this in the winter break."
Erm, about that winter break...
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I think that Nottingham Forest have a better chance of beating the Reds than Arsenal because they don't have injury problems and history has shown that they are willing to spend and experiment with a large number of players.
Keo
I reckon the team in third [Forest], who have won five on the trot and are the only team to beat Liverpool might be in with a shout of challenging for the title. We've produced a miracle or two before!
Graham, Southampton
For those unaware, Brian Clough led Nottingham Forest to back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980 after winning the top-flight title at the first time of asking following promotion from what was then the Second Division. It is probably fair to describe that run of success as a footballing "miracle".
Image source, Getty ImagesBrian Clough's image, holding the European Cup, has pride of place in the Football Association's National Football Centre in St George's Park
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 52 | 7 | 45 | 50 |
| |
| 2 | 19 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 34 | 13 | 21 | 39 |
| |
| 3 | 20 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 30 | 21 | 9 | 34 |
| |
| 4 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 32 | 28 | 4 | 34 |
| |
| 5 | 21 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 27 | 34 | -7 | 27 |
| |
| 6 | 20 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 25 | 34 | -9 | 27 |
| |
| 7 | 21 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 28 | 32 | -4 | 25 |
| |
| 8 | 21 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 25 | 36 | -11 | 24 |
| |
| 9 | 20 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 30 | 36 | -6 | 22 |
| |
| 10 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 21 | 38 | -17 | 22 |
| |
| 11 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 24 | 31 | -7 | 20 |
| |
| 12 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 23 | 41 | -18 | 15 |
|
