Koscielny gifts Wenger controversial last-gasp goal as Arsenal leave it late
LANCASHIRE, England -- Three points from Arsenal's 1-0 win over Burnley in the Premier League.
1. Koscielny hands Arsenal win at the death
An all-singing, all-dancing performance of attacking fluency was too much to expect from Arsenal at a venue where nothing comes easily -- but they will not care one bit. The goal that defeated Burnley came with the game's very last action, and it was as scrappy as much of the fare that had preceded it: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain miscuing Theo Walcott's flick on at the back post but striking the ball against his own teammate, Laurent Koscielny, and seeing it nestle in the net. It appeared to have come off Koscielny's hand, but regardless of the rights and wrongs, it was desperately hard on a superbly-drilled home side who could have won the match themselves. It also provided Arsene Wenger with a 20th anniversary present that may prove crucial in the final analysis of this season.
After the exuberance of recent weeks, this had the air of a potential comedown for Wenger's team. Liverpool had already been undone at Turf Moor this season and Burnley -- for whom this was curiously a fifth home game in seven -- had established something of a rhythm at home. It would be an afternoon for patience and winning individual battles, particularly if the hosts were not breached early.
That rarely looked like it would happen in a first half in which Arsenal, a few flurries aside, created little. Walcott and Alexis Sanchez are in such fine form that when the latter's fifth-minute cross-shot deflected off the former, you half expected it to trickle inside the post. The ball went wide, though, and barring an angled effort from Walcott that met a similar fate, there were few opportunities to breach a diligent, dense Burnley back line.
It was Burnley who should have led at the interval. Lone striker Sam Vokes was all alone 12 yards out as Matthew Lowton crossed seven minutes before half-time. Vokes headed wide when it seemed easier to score, and there was no solace to be found in an offside flag -- Hector Bellerin was playing him comfortably on.