Weekend Review: Emi-aculate finish floors Arsenal at Villa Park

Arsenal (9/10) suffered a late 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa (3/1) in Saturday’s early kick-off, with Manchester City closing the gap to two points after a win over Sunderland.

Villa took the lead via Matty Cash midway through the first half, only for Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard to draw level minutes after the break.

With the scores tied, former Arsenal boss Unai Emery had the last laugh when his Villa side scored through Emi Buendia in the 95th minute to condemn the Gunners to just their second defeat of the season.

City (1/4) were able to take advantage and comfortably beat Sunderland (8/1) 3-0 thanks to goals from Ruben Dias, Joško Gvardiol and Phil Foden.

Liverpool (3/4) drew 3-3 with Leeds (7/2) at Elland Road after a last-gasp equaliser from Ao Tanaka for Daniel Farke’s men.

Under-pressure Arne Slot saw his side go ahead 2-0 on the back of a Hugo Ekitike brace. The home side drew level via a Dominic Calvert-Lewin penalty and Anton Stach finish.

With 10 minutes remaining, Dominik Szoboszlai put the reigning Premier League champions ahead – only to see Ao Tanaka salvage a point for Leeds in the 96th minute.

In what was a bad day overall for bet365 on Saturday, Steve Freeth remarked: “There was not much festive cheer in the bet365 trading room this weekend due to losses both home and abroad on Saturday. While Sunday offered some respite, we needed snookers to claw it all back.

“On paper, Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat might have appeared to be a good result for the book. However, it was one that featured 15 shots on target, including a super boosted Bukayo Saka effort (4/9 into Evens).

“Likewise, the late game at Elland Road with 8/11 Liverpool being held in a 3-3 draw. We had already paid out on Arne Slot’s team after 50 minutes when Hugo Ekitike scored his second, thanks to our ‘2 Goals Ahead Early Payout’ offer, while Mo Salah was once again dragging his heels on the bench.

“In between, there were wins for favourites Everton (21/20), Manchester City (1/4), Newcastle (3/10) and Tottenham (6/4) with Rayan Cherki stealing the show at the Etihad.

“After providing five assists in five weeks, he’s into 7/1 in a market that looks a competitive betting heat. 

“Business was not as brisk as on a typical ‘Super Sunday’ featuring Brighton versus West Ham and Fulham versus Crystal Palace. Nevertheless, the outcomes from these fixtures were favourable.”

Despite the loss, after 15 games, Arsenal remain odds-on to clinch the title, with Man City 7/4 to regain the league.

BOYLE Sports spokesperson Lawrence Lyons said: “Despite just one win in their last three games, Arsenal are still odds-on (4/6) to win the Premier League. Manchester City are now hot on their tails after a 3-0 thumping of Sunderland and are in to 7/4 to foil Arsenal’s Premier League aspirations once again.”

Results in the Premier League largely fell the way of FDJ United over the weekend, with Ali Gill confirming the operator came out level in Villa’s win over Arsenal and ahead in Leeds’ draw over Liverpool.

He said: “Overall a good weekend in the Premier League, although a few results on paper didn’t end up looking as positive as they could. The weekend started with Arsenal faltering again and dropping points for a second weekend in a row.

“Villa were not unfancied, and with the draw the lesser-backed outcome, we only came out about level on that one. 

“Leeds’ thrilling 3-3 draw at Liverpool was another one where the 1X2 went our way, and it took a few accas out with it, but a six-goal thriller meant, again, we were close enough to level pegging.

“The best result by a distance was Chelsea’s 0-0 draw with Bournemouth, which didn’t hit any notes for punters and left the traders happy. Newcastle’s win over Burnley was our worst Premier League result of the weekend.”

Despite enduring a difficult season, Liverpool are still 25/1 to lift the Premier League in May with Betfred, the same odds as Aston Villa.

Alan Firkins said: “After 4/6 Arsenal, the rest of the betting sees City at 13/8, Liverpool 25/1, Aston Villa 25/1, Chelsea 33/1, Manchester United 66/1 and it’s 250/1 bar. Three draws in total helped balance the books and Celtic’s home loss to leaders Hearts was another head-scratcher for punters.”

On the continent, Saturday started off poorly for bookies, with giants in Italy, Spain and Germany all winning and, for some, in comfortable fashion.

Barcelona (4/5) came out on top in an eight-goal thriller, beating Real Betis (5/2) 5-3 including a Ferran Torres hat-trick, while Inter Milan (1/2) put four goals past Como (5/1) without reply and Bayern Munich (3/5) dispatched Stuttgart (7/2) with talisman Harry Kane starting on the bench – only to come on and score a hat-trick.

On Sunday, however, Real Madrid (1/4) were reduced to nine men and were soundly beaten 2-0 at home to Celta Vigo (9/1).

Freeth said: “The European fixtures were miserable on Saturday, but Sunday saw modest gains.

“Barcelona won 5-3, Inter Milan (4/7) triumphed 4-0, Leipzig (8/11) defeated Frankfurt 6-0 and Bayern Munich secured a 5-0 victory at Stuttgart with Harry Kane starting on the bench.

“He replaced Nicolas Jackson on the 60th minute and scored three goals. Thanks to our ‘Sub On Play On’ offer, backers of Jackson to score a hat-trick were paid out, despite him being substituted without scoring.

“Similarly, PSG (3/10) scored five goals, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia netting two before being replaced by Gonçalo Ramos. However, hat-trick-backers of the Georgian collected when his replacement made it 5-0 in injury-time.

“The coupon-buster on Sunday was at the Bernabeu, where 1/4 Real Madrid lost their perfect home record in a defeat to Celta Vigo with Xabi Alonso now under increasing pressure – but that’s about as good as it got.”

Madrid’s defeat was FDJ United’s best result of the weekend, with Gill adding: “In La Liga, a shock result as Madrid lost at home to Celta Vigo in what was very comfortably our best result of the whole weekend.

“Madrid dropped four points behind Barcelona in the league after an eight-goal thriller for Barca against Betis, a result which very much went to the punters.”

At the races, odds-on favourite Il Etait Temps (8/11) cruised to victory by nine lengths at Sandown in the Tingle Creek Chase.

In beating Jonbon (3/1) and L’Eau Du Sud (7/2), the seven-year-old took his seventh win in nine chase starts.

While Nicky Henderson failed with Jonbon, he was victorious with Lulamba (2/5) in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase.

Midnite senior trader Alex Firth said: “A fairly quiet weekend in the racing world. However, there was an exceptional performance from Il Etait Temps in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown, having been sent off 8/11 favourite.

“He looks a warm order for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March and will take some stopping, looking a better jumper than he has previously.

“Jonbon was defeated but it wasn’t all doom and gloom for Nicky Henderson. He saddled Lulamba to an impressive victory in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase on the same card and will be a live contender in what is shaping up to be a competitive Arkle at Cheltenham.”

Firkins noted: “Nicky Henderson’s smart four-year-old French-bred gelding Lulamba climbed to 9/4 second favourite behind Kopek Des Bordes (2/1) in the Cheltenham Festival Arkle betting, after a smooth win in Sandown’s Henry VIII Novices’ Chase on Saturday.

“He races in the famous Donnelly silks of State Man, Anzadam, Sir Gino and others, delighting connections with a sparkling effort.”