Arsenal, Spurs fire blanks in pursuit of Man City

Arsenal’s Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez (3R) vies with Middlesbrough’s Spanish goalkeeper VÌctor Valdes (R) during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Middlesbrough at the Emirates Stadium in London on October 22, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Ian Kington /

Arsenal, 6-0 winners over Ludogorets Razgrad in the Champions League in mid-week, were seeking an eighth successive win in all competitions.

Despite the hosts dominating the first half at the Emirates Stadium, Middlesbrough came closest to breaking the deadlock when Gaston Ramirez curled a 21st-minute free-kick against the post.

The pattern of play did not change in the second period, but still Boro resisted, with goalkeeper Victor Valdes producing a full-stretch save to thwart Alexis Sanchez.

Tottenham extended their unbeaten start to the season to nine games — something they last achieved in 1990 — but squandered a chance to go top in a 0-0 draw at Bournemouth.

Both teams hit the woodwork in the early stages, Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris diverting Charlie Daniels’s shot onto the bar and Erik Lamela clipping the post from distance.

“We had control, but we didn’t create enough chances to score,” Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino told Sky Sports.

“I think we need to be pleased in the end because it’s one point more, one clean sheet, but it’s true for us to be contenders we should be winning the games like today.”

– Shaqiri, Shaqiri –

With both Arsenal and Spurs slipping up, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool can go top if they beat West Bromwich Albion by two goals or more in the late game at Anfield.

Leicester did not need Jamie Vardy as they won 3-1 at home to Palace to climb to 12th.

With Vardy starting on the bench after a groin injury, strikers Musa and Okazaki struck either side of half-time at the King Power Stadium.

Fuchs sealed victory in the 79th minute, the Austrian left-back netting from distance with a sensational strike to register his first Leicester goal.

Yohan Cabaye replied late on for Palace.

Sixth-place Everton squandered a chance to make ground on the leading sides in a 2-1 defeat at Burnley, who took a 39th-minute lead when Maarten Stekelenburg’s blunder gifted Sam Vokes a tap-in.

Yannick Bolasie equalised just before the hour with his first Everton goal, but Scott Arfield struck at the death to condemn Ronald Koeman’s men to a fourth league game without victory.

Xherdan Shaqiri scored two stunning goals — the first a free-kick — as Stoke City won 2-0 at Hull City to climb out of the relegation zone at their hosts’ expense.

Sunderland remain rock bottom after Winston Reid’s goal deep into stoppage time earned misfiring West Ham United a 1-0 win at London Stadium.

Swansea City stayed second-from-bottom after Bob Bradley’s first home game as manager concluded in a 0-0 draw with Watford.

Source: Sports