Leicester hit historic low in Brentford rout

LONDON: Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge was dented by an unexpected 1-0 home loss to West Ham on Saturday that featured a fifth red card of the season for Mikel Arteta’s team.
Second-place Arsenal squandered a chance to trim the gap to Liverpool to five points as Jarrod Bowen’s first-half header secured a win for West Ham, which arrived at Emirates Stadium with just one victory in their last eight games.
There was worse to come for Arsenal, with left back Myles Lewis-Skelly handed a red card following a video review for his foul as the last man. The team’s disciplinary record under Arteta has come under scrutiny this season — and might yet cost the Gunners the title, along with key injuries to their attack.
With the likes of Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus out injured, Arsenal had only two shots on target against West Ham.
It leaves Liverpool with an eight-point cushion, having played the same number of games as Arsenal, and that advantage could grow when the leaders play Manchester City away on Sunday.
Fifth-place Bournemouth lost 1-0 at home to Wolverhampton to damage their bid for a finish in the Champions League qualification positions.
Bournemouth defender Illya Zabarnyi’s 31st-minute red card was quickly followed by the winning goal by Matheus Cunha for Wolves.
Tottenham won 4-1 at Ipswich to further ease the pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou, last-place Southampton lost 4-0 at home to Brighton, and Crystal Palace won 2-0 at Fulham.

BERLIN: Despite their best Bundesliga season in decades, Eintracht Frankfurt know only something close to a perfect performance will help topple league leaders Bayern Munich on Sunday.
With 22 of 34 games played this Bundesliga campaign, Frankfurt sit third and are on track for their first top-four finish since the 1992-93 season.
Frankfurt’s 2022 Europa League win meant a first-ever Champions League participation.
Another crack at the European elite from finishing in the top four this season would be a just reward for Dino Toppmoeller’s impressive side, who have rebounded despite the loss of Omar Marmoush to Manchester City.
Up next is a trip to Bayern, who are eight points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen and on track to win back the Bundesliga title.
Frankfurt will be the underdogs on Sunday but have recent form against the German giants.
Frankfurt held Bayern to a 3-3 draw in October, making them one of only four teams alongside Leverkusen, Mainz and Borussia Dortmund who have taken points off the league leaders this season.
Bayern may have won only one of their past four against Frankfurt, but Eagles captain Kevin Trapp was not getting ahead of himself on Thursday.
“We are third and Bayern are 13 points ahead of us, that speaks volumes.
Trapp said the visitors “must get close to perfection in order to get a point or better there.”
Bayern may be sailing in the league but they come into Sunday’s game after two straight draws and Trapp said the hosts will fight hard “so that a crisis isn’t declared in Munich.”
Bayern look set to be without star striker Harry Kane, who was subbed off at half-time in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Celtic.
Frankfurt have their own injury woes, with German defender Robin Koch out and midfielder Mario Goetze in doubt with illness.
Toppmoeller said Friday his side needs “a good plan, a top performance and a bit of luck,” along with cool heads, with the coach calling on his charges to exhibit “a high tolerance for frustration.”
Elsewhere, Leverkusen travel to last-placed Holstein Kiel hoping to keep their slim hopes of defending their title alive.
Coach Xabi Alonso he knew the odds of overtaking Bayern, who they will meet in the Champions League last 16 after Friday’s draw, were slim, but stranger things had happened in football.
“We’re not looking so far (into the future)... Everything can happen. There are still many games. There’s time for anything.”
After establishing himself alongside striker Serhou Guirassy as Dortmund’s attacking threats early this season, English winger Jamie Gittens has hit a lull in form.
The 20-year-old has not scored for nine games dating back to mid-January.
Dortmund coach Niko Kovac urged patience with the young winger, telling reporters “Jamie has developed really well, he’s playing intensively and we need to find a balance.
“I’m very happy with Jamie, but you understand there can also be a bit of a dip now and again.”
Joshua Kimmich has played every minute of Bayern Munich’s 22 league games this season — a total of 1,980 minutes plus stoppage time in each match — the only player from the league leaders to do so.
Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike has 12 goals in 21 league games this season.
Borussia Dortmund have faced Union Berlin 13 times in all competitions but have never had a draw, winning nine and losing four.