Leicester outfoxed by late winner

LONDON — Substitute Danny Welbeck scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Arsenal resurrected their Premier League title challenge with a heart-stopping 2-1 Valentine’s Day victory over leaders Leicester City last night.

Down to 10 men following Danny Simpson’s 54th-minute dismissal, Leicester were clinging on at a tension-bound Emirates Stadium when Welbeck headed in a 95th-minute winner from Mesut Ozil’s free-kick on his return after 10 months out with a serious knee injury.

The 25-year-old England striker’s goal — his first since December 2014 — reignited Arsenal’s title challenge, lifting them to within two points of Leicester with 12 games remaining.

“Dying seconds, we kept pushing, had chance after chance,” Welbeck told Sky Sports. “I missed the first opportunity and tried to make amends. It is important and the most important thing is to get the win.”

Welbeck’s goal, after fellow substitute Theo Walcott had cancelled out Jamie Vardy’s first-half penalty, saw Arsene Wenger’s men complete a league double over Leicester following their 5-2 win in September.

Claudio Ranieri’s men now have two weeks to regain their strength before resuming their improbable title bid at home to Norwich City, while Arsenal must prepare for contests with Hull City and Barcelona. But the Italian did not seem affected by the result, and felt that it could have been a different story if Simpson had not been sent off. In fact, he even questioned the dismissal.

“It was a fantastic match, very fast. I think we would have won if it had been 11 versus 11. The two yellows for Simpson, both yellows for Simpson were fouls, but they were not yellows. Why send him off?”

Ranieri added that Leicester will not be demoralised by the defeat.

“We played to win and played well. We were in control, but Arsenal were smarter than us for the winning goal. We lost, so well done to our opponents. We’re still top. We’re focused on Norwich.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool recorded their first win in six matches in emphatic fashion as the Reds hammered Aston Villa 6-0 at Villa Park.

Six different players found the net as Jurgen Klopp’s men moved up to eighth spot in the table while hammering another nail into Villa’s coffin. Villa’s fans not only booed their side at half time and at the end, but also started leaving the stadium in droves after Liverpool scored their third goal.

Remi Garde’s team are now rooted to the bottom of the league, and look destined for relegation as they are eight points from safety with only 12 games left to the season.

Ironically, Villa came into the game in the best form of their season, having lost only once in their last five games, but they collapsed into their worst home defeat since 1935.

Making his first league start in four months, Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge sparked the rout with the opening goal after 16 minutes before James Milner’s curling free kick from the left wing eluded everyone and bounced into the far corner in the 25th.

Emre Can, Divock Origi, Nathaniel Clyne and Kolo Toure then scored in quick succession from the 58th minute. AGENCIES