Burnley 0 - 1 Arsenal: Sanchez steers Arsenal to late, late win at Burnley

Posted Monday, November 27, 2017 by PA

Alexis Sanchez converted a stoppage-time penalty as Arsenal snatched all three points in a 1-0 win at Burnley.

Clarets defender James Tarkowski was penalised for his shove on Aaron Ramsey in the 91st minute and Sanchez made no mistake from the spot to clinch the Gunners just their second league win on the road this season.

It was cruel on Burnley. Arsenal skipper Laurent Koscielny struck a controversial winner in time added on in the corresponding fixture last season and Sanchez's late spot-kick sank Sean Dyche's side at the Emirates in January this year.

The Clarets began with the confidence expected of a side chasing a fourth straight top-flight win for the first time since 1968, and Robbie Brady's excellent 10th-minute cross only just eluded the diving Ashley Barnes.

Burnley went even closer to taking a first-half lead when Johann Berg Gudmundsson's shot was pushed on to a post by Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Arsenal served warning of their threat as Ramsey fired over following Alexandre Lacazette's whipped ball in from the left. A flurry of corners from dead-ball specialist Brady put Arsenal under more pressure, but the visitors responded again through Nacho Monreal's thumping low drive.

The Gunners, without a poorly Mesut Ozil, but otherwise fielding the same side which beat Tottenham in their previous league match, were predictably hustled out of their comfort zone.

Tarkowski's timely block denied Sanchez a shooting chance as Arsenal got a foothold in the game around the half-hour mark and Monreal curled another effort over the crossbar.

Brady's curling free-kick from 22 yards shortly before the interval was destined for the top corner, but lacked the zip to really test Cech, who comfortably pushed it away for a corner.

Burnley skipper Ben Mee bravely blocked Sead Kolasinac's attempted shot and thwarted the Bosnian again soon after as Arsenal began the second half with more purpose.

Gudmundsson's stinging low drive was saved by Cech, but the Gunners enjoyed a lot more of the ball and probed in Burnley's half.

Lacazette's effort was deflected wide and Ramsey lashed a shot over after Sanchez's lofted pass into the area before Jack Wilshere made his third league appearance of the season when replacing the ineffectual Alex Iwobi in the 67th minute.

The home side were next to threaten, with Jeff Hendrick setting Stephen Ward free down the left and his low cross was fired straight at Koscielny by Brady.

Chris Wood was sent on for Steven Defour and Danny Welbeck replaced Lacazette with 11 minutes left and the game hanging in the balance.

By now roles were reversed from the first half. Arsenal hogged possession and Burnley waited for the counter, while Wilshere fired wide from the edge of the area and Mee put in another crucial block on Ramsey's snap-shot.

But just when it appeared Burnley had taken another point off one of the Premier League's top six - they won at Chelsea on the opening day and have drawn against Liverpool and Tottenham - Tarkowski's push was spotted by referee Lee Mason and Sanchez condemned them to their third league defeat of the season.