Arsenal hold off Burnley 2-1

Arsenal hold off Burnley 2-1

Gunners build on opening-week success in tightly contested match

Burnley’s Chris Wood pursues Arsenal’s Sokratis Papastathopoulos during the clubs’ Premier League match at Emirates Stadium on Saturday. (Reuters Photo)
Burnley’s Chris Wood pursues Arsenal’s Sokratis Papastathopoulos during the clubs’ Premier League match at Emirates Stadium on Saturday. (Reuters Photo)

LONDON: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang grabbed the winner as Arsenal overcame a stubborn Burnley to maintain their winning start in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Alexandre Lacazette put the Gunners ahead in the 13th minute, collecting a low corner from Dani Ceballos and showing great strength to turn marker Erik Pieters before driving through the legs of Burnley keeper Nick Pope.

Burnley responded well, however, and drew level two minutes before the break when a low effort from Dwight McNeil fell to Ashley Barnes in the box and the Clarets striker kept his composure to claim his third goal of the season.

Unai Emery brought winger Nicolas Pepe — the club’s £72-million record signing — at the break and the home side put Burnley under real pressure.

Pope did well to keep out efforts from Aubameyang and the hugely impressive Ceballos and it was that pair who combined for the winner.

Ceballos won the ball in the Burnley half and fed the Gabonese forward who burst goalwards before cutting inside and beating Pope with a fine drive.

Arsenal have now won their last 10 Premier League matches against Burnley, who have never beaten the Gunners in the top flight. The last time Arsenal began the season with two consecutive victories was 2009-10, when they beat Everton and Portsmouth.

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