Burnley frustrate Gunners, who miss chance to move into top four after 0-0 draw at the Emirates

Arsenal 0

Burnley 0

Arsenal missed the chance to move back into the top four of the Premier League with a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to bottom club Burnley this afternoon.

Alexandre Lacazette missed a virtual open goal in the second half as Arsenal pushed for a winner – and Emile Smith Rowe drew a fantastic save from Nick Pope in the Burnley goal.

Burnley’s Ashley Westwood was lucky to see only yellow when he appeared to stamp on Kieran Tierney’s lower leg midway through the first half.

But despite the Gunners having the better of the chances – which were few and far between – the Clarets held on for a point.

Burley had the first sight of goal, Dwight McNeil’s left-footed cross from the left side deflected towards the Arsenal goal and pushed over by Aaron Ramsdale. Ben Mee fired over from the resulting corner.

Arsenal’s first shot in anger came from Lacazette, whose effort went wide of the right-hand post after a mazey run.

After 20 came the best chance thus far. First Martin Odegaard’s effort was blocked then, when the ball fell to Lacazette, another Burnley man was in the way as the last line of defence to keep the Gunners at bay.

And Burnley were lucky not to go down to 10-men after 25 minutes when Westwood appeared to stamp on the lower leg of Kieran Tierney after the left-back had cleared the ball.

Westwood escapade with only a yellow when the visitors could have had little argument had referee David Coote instead waved a red.

But the first period was a half of few real chances. Rob Holding saw an effort drift over from a corner, the hard-working Gabriel Martinelli had a shot blocked, and Tierney was probably not the man the Gunners wanted the ball to drop to following a swift breakaway – his shot high and less than handsome over the Clarets’ bar.

At the other end McNeil had a shot from range, but got his angles all wrong and the ball skewed wide of Ramsdale’s upright. The keeper was then called into action to spring from his line and clear with his head as Matej Vydra raced through.

Arsenal’s best chance of the half came in stoppage time. A lovely, swift move upfield involved crisp, quick passes from both Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe, before Bukayo Saka, in the inside right position, cut on to his left foot and bent an effort just wide of Nick Pope’s goal.

But it remained goalless at the break.

Arsenal continued to be the more likely side to score as the second half began, without being anywhere near their best. Odegaard curled a free-kick over on the hour mark before Westwood was forced to intercept a Smith Rowe cross from the left.

Then came a really clever move from the home side. Odegaard fooled everyone with his corner by picking out the unmarked Smith Rowe on the edge of the box. His effort was superbly saved by Pope low down to his right.

The Gunners were getting closer. Smith Rowe beat his man down the left before pulling the ball back for Lacazette who should have scored by saw his effort drift wide of the goal.

Then Martinelli saw an effort fly over the bar.

Burley could have nicked it in added time. McNeil raced the length of the pitch but his shot was well saved by McNeil.

But 0-0 it stayed and two vital points escaped the Gunners in the race for a crucial Champions League place.

Teams:

Arsenal: Ramsdale, Tierney, White, Gabriel, Saka, Odegaard, Lacazette, Smith Rowe (Nketiah, 77), Holding, Sambi Lokonga, Martinelli

Burnley: Pope, Tarkowski, Mee, Brownhill, McNeil, Roberts, Lennon, Westwood, Rodriguez (Gudmundsson, 83), Pieters, Vydra.

Referee: David Coote