Arsenal 1 – 0 Chelsea
Mikel Arteta’s side may have secured an important win, but they still have ground to cover in the title race.
Despite falling behind early, Chelsea had plenty of time to respond. They eventually found some rhythm but failed to break through, allowing Arsenal to end their three-game winless streak in the Premier League.
Playing at the Emirates on Sunday, Arsenal clinched a 1-0 victory with the only goal coming from Mikel Merino.
Following a defeat to West Ham, Arsenal dropped points in back-to-back away games against Nottingham Forest and Manchester United. But after three frustrating matches, they finally got back to winning ways.
With this win, Arsenal also narrowed the gap at the top of the league table. They now sit second with 58 points from 29 matches (16 wins, 10 draws), while Liverpool leads with 70 points.
Arsenal started aggressively, putting Chelsea under immense pressure from the beginning. They took the lead in the 20th minute when Martin Ødegaard’s corner was met by a powerful header from Spanish midfielder Merino, who found the far post.
Chelsea slowly settled into the game and registered their first shot on target in the 37th minute. Marc Cucurella’s strike was straightforward, but Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya fumbled the ball, narrowly avoiding an embarrassing error as it slipped past the far post.
Merino had a golden chance to double the lead in the 60th minute, but his volley was miraculously cleared off the line by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez.
Chelsea struggled to create significant chances for the rest of the match, extending their poor away form. They have now lost four of their last six away league games, with the other two ending in draws.
Chelsea sits fourth in the table with 49 points from 29 matches, five points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest. Just one point behind Chelsea, Manchester City occupies fifth place.
