BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) ― Arsenal scored two goals in the space of 59 seconds on its way to a 2-1 win over Aston Villa that put the visitors back on top of the Premier League on Monday.
Jack Wilshere’s 34th-minute opener was quickly followed by a goal by Olivier Giroud, which proved to be enough to lift Arsenal back above Manchester City and Chelsea after their victories over the weekend.
Belgium striker Christian Benteke scored his first goal since mid-September to give Villa hope in the 76th minute, but the home side couldn’t find an equalizer despite late pressure.
“The first half was more about playing, and the second half was more about fighting,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
With its fourth straight league win, Arsenal restored its one-point lead over City after 21 matches.
Italy
Inter Milan was held to a 1-1 draw at home to Chievo Verona in Serie A as an incorrectly disallowed goal extended its recent poor run.
Chievo took the lead in the eighth minute when former AC Milan forward Alberto Paloschi smashed the ball into the top far corner. Inter tied it four minutes later as Yuto Nagatomo side-footed home Ricardo Alvarez’s low pass across the area from close range.
Nagatomo thought he had put Inter in front just two minutes later, but his effort was wrongly ruled out for offside.
“We scored a clear and obvious goal and they didn’t give it to us,” Alvarez said.
“Certainly we’re making our mistakes and we know that, but I think that the referees are too. Certainly we have to think about what we’re doing, but sometimes the referees make too many mistakes against us.”
Spain
Giovanni Dos Santos scored two goals and set up another pair and Villarreal romped to a 5-1 Spanish league win over Real Sociedad.
The Mexico striker opened the scoring in the 16th minute before setting up Ikechuwku Uche from the left side in the 27th.
Dos Santos then created space in the 33rd to unleash a left-footed shot before again picking out Uche in the 55th for 4-0.
Moi Gomez made it 5-0 in the 58th before Imanol Agirretxe scored for the Basque side, which will play a Copa del Rey return leg at El Madrigal on Thursday after a scoreless draw to start the last-16 matchup.
Villarreal moved two points ahead of Sociedad into fifth ahead of their third meeting inside a week.
