ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Burnley 0
Arsenal 1
LONDON • Burnley suffered heartbreak right at the end when James Tarkowski clashed with Aaron Ramsey in the area and referee Lee Mason gave a penalty.
Alexis Sanchez scored from the spot and seconds later, Mason blew for time. Boos filled Turf Moor in protest of Ramsey's theatrical fall as Arsenal snatched the points.
Said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: "It looked a clear penalty, I think there was one on (Hector) Bellerin as well.
"Ramsey wanted to flick the ball and was pushed in the back. He said it was a very strong push."
It was the reward for the Gunners' display of steely character to come back into the contest following the break, after the hosts impressed in the first half with their speed of pass and movement.
After they arrived at Turf Moor just 52 minutes before kick-off, Wenger sent out a different XI to the losing one at Cologne in the Europa League on Thursday.
The chief exclusion was German playmaker Mesut Ozil, although his absence was due to illness.
Sean Dyche made no changes from the 2-0 win over Swansea City and would have been pleased with the scintillating opening 45 minutes his team produced.
First, Johann Berg Gudmundsson forced Ramsey to concede a free kick. When Robbie Brady's delivery to Petr Cech's left post area was repelled, moments later the Icelander intervened again.
This time some Gudmundsson trickery bought a yard and he crossed towards the lurking Ashley Barnes. Arsenal once more cleared but it seemed obvious Dyche had instructed his men to get at the visitors via the long ball.
Defender Laurent Koscielny told Sky Sports: "It was a difficult game, they play very direct, cross very well and up front they have players who can score headers.
"We knew it was a difficult game so that is why we are very happy."
In a flash, though, Burnley came close to going behind. The thus-far muted Alexandre Lacazette broke, flipped the ball in to Ramsey, and he should have beaten Nick Pope.
When the second period started, Arsenal - and Sanchez in particular - pinned Burnley back.
Following the introduction of Jack Wilshere for Alex Iwobi on 66 minutes, Brady crashed a shot off Koscielny's back and the sense was the game could go either way.
At the close, it was Arsenal who triumphed and they now re-enter the top four. But Dyche and his players can be proud of how they performed.
Earlier, Charlie Austin's second-half double, on his first league start this season, helped Southampton to a 4-1 home win over Everton.
The hosts took the lead in the 18th minute after Dusan Tadic finished off a fine team move but just before the break, Everton levelled with a Gylfi Sigurdsson strike from distance that went in off the bar, his first league goal for the club.
Saints captain Steven Davis' late fourth gave them their fifth home win this year, while big spenders Everton's woes continued and David Unsworth's chances of getting the manager's job on a permanent basis were dealt another big blow.
THE GUARDIAN, REUTERS
