EPL: Arsenal resurgence continues as Xhaka, Ozil sink Newcastle; Chelsea rout Cardiff
This is Arsenal's first consecutive away league wins since May 2017 indicate progress is being made under Emery, who replaced Arsene Wenger after last season.
Arsenal defeated Newcastle 2-1 on Saturday to record successive away English Premier League victories for the first time in more than a year.
Granit Xhaka scored from a long-range free kick and helped to set up Mesut Ozil for Arsenal's second before a late Ciaran Clark header ensured a nervous finish.
After losing his first two matches in charge of the club, Unai Emery has guided Arsenal to three consecutive victories.
This is Arsenal's first consecutive away league wins since May 2017 indicate progress is being made under Emery, who replaced Arsene Wenger after last season.
After a dull opening half, it required a moment of brilliance from the often-maligned Xhaka to give Arsenal the lead. The Switzerland midfielder curled a 25-yard free kick into the top corner.
Xhaka was heavily involved again as Ozil doubled the lead nine minutes later. The central midfielder found himself in space on the left flank and cut the ball back for Alexander Lacazette, whose blocked shot fell for Ozil to side-foot home from the edge of the box.
Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka got a hand to Ozil's rather tame effort, as he had done to Xhaka's free kick, and will feel he could have prevented the second, if not both of Arsenal's goals.
Newcastle, which is still looking for a first win, kept going until the end and scored a consolation as Clark headed in a stoppage-time goal. By that point, a large number of the disappointed St James' Park crowd had already departed.
Although Rafael Benitez's side has picked up just one point from its first five games, all four of its defeats have come against members of the league's 'big six.'
HAZARD'S HAT-TRICK KEEPS CHELSEA ON THE TROT
Eden Hazard's hat-trick ensured Chelsea kept its perfect start to the Premier League season with a 4-1 victory over Cardiff on Saturday.
Sol Bamba shocked Chelsea with Cardiff's first away goal of the season, but Hazard's treble and a late goal by Willian saw Maurizio Sarri became the fourth manager to win his first five Premier League games. He joined an elite club of Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea), Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) and Craig Shakespeare (Leicester).
Chelsea kept pace with Liverpool at the top of the table.
Former Napoli manager Sarri's fine start to life in England looked to be under threat when Cardiff took the lead after 16 minutes at Stamford Bridge. Bamba latched onto a flick-on from fellow defender Sean Morrison.
Hazard, who has scored or assisted in each of Chelsea's four games this season, took over the game shortly before halftime.
The Belgium captain received the ball just outside the Cardiff box in the 37th and surged past a defender before driving a powerful finish across goal to equalize.
Seven minutes later he gave Chelsea the lead. Pedro's cross found Olivier Giroud, who laid the ball off for Hazard, allowing him to unleash a strike which deflected in off Bamba.
Chelsea rarely relinquished control from that moment on, but it wasn't until substitute Willian won a penalty in the 80th that the Blues put the game beyond doubt.
Hazard sent Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, who had already saved two penalties this season, the wrong way to complete the second Premier League hat trick of his Chelsea career.
Willian then added a goal of his own three minutes later, curling the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Cardiff has two points from five games.