The final round of Premier League fixtures before the World Cup break produced a huge shock at the Etihad Stadium.
After missing out on England’s World Cup squad, Ivan Toney struck twice to give Brentford a sensational 2-1 victory over Manchester City.
That result confirmed Arsenal would be top heading into the World Cup interval, and they increased their lead to five points by cruising past Wolves at Molineux as Martin Odegaard scored both goals in a 2-0 triumph.
Tottenham and Leeds United played out a seven-goal thriller at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the hosts eventually running out 4-3 winners.
Elsewhere, Chelsea fell to a third straight league defeat as they were beaten 1-0 by in-form Newcastle United.
Here, Stats Perform looks through the best facts of the day.
.@Arsenal move five points clear at the of the table!#WOLARS pic.twitter.com/KFeMKCGTEN
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 12, 2022
Manchester City 1-2 Brentford: Toney double stuns Citizens
City had previously been unbeaten for 20 home matches in all competitions since a 3-2 defeat against Spurs in February, winning their last 16 at the Etihad.
But Toney, fresh from his England disappointment, scored his 21st and 22nd Premier League goals to end City’s streak in dramatic fashion.
His winner came after 97 minutes and 16 seconds, the latest winning goal scored against City in the Premier League since exact goal times started being recorded in the 2006-07 campaign.
The Bees were made to do a lot of defending to earn the three points, with City’s 29 shots their most in a Premier League home game they failed to win since a 2-1 defeat to Leeds United in April 2021.
Phil Foden’s equaliser in first-half injury time was his sixth home goal in all competitions, his joint-best return in a Premier League season. Six of his eight goals (75 per cent) this season have come at the Etihad, compared to 43 per cent last term (six of 14).
3 – Ivan Toney has scored 2+ goals on three occasions in the Premier League this season; only Erling Haaland (5) has done so in more different matches.
3 v Leeds United
2 v Brighton
2 v Manchester CityResponse. pic.twitter.com/EG8iR6DlmC
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 12, 2022
Wolves 0-2 Arsenal: Odegaard fires Gunners to five-point lead
Odegaard’s double puts him up to six Premier League goals this season, the most of any Arsenal player, while only Kevin de Bruyne, James Maddison and Leandro Trossard have been involved in more away goals than the Norway international (five, four goals and one assist).
The three points, combined with City slipping up, gives Arsenal their biggest lead at the top of the Premier League since December 2013.
Mikel Arteta’s men are the only team to have scored in every Premier League game this season and they will be top of the league on Christmas day for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign.
Another defeat for Wolves means new boss Julen Lopetegui has much work to do, with the Molineux club bottom at Christmas for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
They are seriously out of form, only winning one of their last 22 Premier League games, failing to score in 11 matches over that run.
8 – Arsenal are the eighth side to win as many as 12 of their opening 14 games in a Premier League season, with each of the previous seven teams to do so going on to win the title. Contenders? pic.twitter.com/liWqeFBO1L
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 12, 2022
Tottenham 4-3 Leeds United: Bentancur strikes twice as Spurs come from behind
Antonio Conte’s side completed yet another turnaround to beat Leeds and have now rescued 13 points from losing positions, more than any other team.
Rodrigo Bentancur’s late double was the first time he has scored twice in the same game within the main five European leagues, on what was his 164th such appearance.
Spurs were made to do it the hard way, as Rodrigo and Crysencio Summerville became the first pair of team-mates to both score in four straight Premier League games.
But Leeds ultimately succumbed to defeat, their fifth straight league loss against London sides since thumping Chelsea 3-0 in August.
Spurs meanwhile have now scored 31 goals in 15 Premier League games this season, only bettering that tally at this stage of the competition in one season, when they netted 35 in 15 to kick off the 2009-10 campaign.
3 – Leeds became the first team to lead three times in a Premier League match but still end up losing since Boxing Day 2012, when Newcastle lost 4-3 to Man Utd. Fleeting. pic.twitter.com/34SKis2RLM
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 12, 2022
Newcastle United 1-0 Chelsea: Willock wonder strike downs Blues
Joe Willock scored a superb winner to earn Newcastle a fifth straight Premier League victory for the first time since 2014.
On the flip side, Graham Potter becomes the first Chelsea boss to lose three consecutive league matches since Jose Mourinho in 2015 as his side’s poor form continues.
A key reason for the defeat was a dismal attacking display, registering just seven touches in the opposition box, their lowest since January against Manchester City.
The closest Chelsea went to scoring was Conor Gallagher forcing an acrobatic save from Nick Pope. No other goalkeeper has kept more clean sheets in the Premier League this season than Pope, with five of his seven coming at St James’ Park.
The three points ensure Newcastle will be in the top three at Christmas for the first time since the 2001-02 campaign, when they were top.
our supercomputer now rates Chelsea as a 23.6% chance of finishing in the top four. Six teams have a higher rating as it stands.
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) November 12, 2022
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