Arsenal top table after Man Utd, Chelsea play to goalless draw

The match between Manchester United and Chelsea at the Old Trafford ended in a goalless draw, while Arsenal managed to wrest control of the top position in the English Premier League (EPL), at least for the day and now eagerly await the results of Tuesday’s game between Leicester and Manchester City.

The result on Monday was United coach Louis Van Gaal’s sixth consecutive game without a victory in the league, and it almost ended in a loss for the Red Devils but for the stupendous form of their keeper David de Gea, reports Efe.

Chelsea, on the other hand, just about seem to be checking their freefall as they enjoyed their second consecutive draw since Dutchman Guus Hiddink took over the reins of the club.

United are in sixth place and Chelsea 14th, with 30 and 20 points respectively.

The top spot was seized by Arsenal on Monday as they routed Bournemouth, with a stellar performance by Mesut Ozil who provided an assist to Brazilian Gabriel Paulista for the first goal and scored one himself to clinch the game 2-0.

Leicester, who are in the second spot with 38 points and trailing the Gunners by one, have a chance to reclaim their position on top of the table against Manchester City on Tuesday.

Tottenham Hotspur, joint third with City, on Monday won their away game against Watford 2-1, with goals from the Argentine Erik Lamela and the Nigerian Odion Ighalo.

Crystal Palace are in fifth place despite their goalless draw at home against Swansea; West Ham United defeated Southampton 2-1 and are now seventh in the leaderboard followed by Watford and Stoke City, who overcame Everton 4-3.

At the other end of the table, Aston Villa remain glued to the bottom spot with just eight points from 19 games; Monday was business as usual as they suffered yet another defeat against Norwich 0-2.

As Leicester gear up to face City on Tuesday, Wednesday will witness Sunderland taking on Liverpool.

French football great Thierry Henry believes the fans and board could soon turn on manager Louis van Gaal after Manchester United went an eighth game without a win. United’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea at Old Trafford on Monday marked the ninth time they have not scored this season, leaving them five points off the top-four in the Premier League. Henry said that while the performance against Chelsea was an improvement on United’s 0-2 defeat to Stoke City on Boxing Day, a victory needs to come quickly for van Gaal and his side. “It’s another game without winning, that’s eight now, and another 0-0 draw at Old Trafford. I don’t think I would have ever said that in my lifetime. But there was something about them on Monday that maybe sparked something, a new beginning maybe,” Henry was quoted as saying by Sky Sports on Monday.