Mikel Merino scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal beat Chelsea to move 12 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. Both of these sides came into the match without their first-choice striker, with Kai Havertz ruled out for the season with a hamstring injury for Arsenal and Nicolas Jackson missing for Chelsea.
Chelsea were also without their most important player in Cole Palmer, who was out of the squad with an injury, and it was the first time the Blues have to had to play without him since they lost 5-0 to Arsenal in April last season.
Arsenal, again naming Merino as a makeshift striker, dominated the game early on and Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice all went close. Merino’s winner came in the 20th minute when he flicked on a curling corner from Martin Odegaard past a stretching Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea’s best opportunity to take something from the game came when Marc Cucurella’s powerful effort slipped through David Raya’s hands but the ball rolled just past the post.
Robert Sanchez, recently restored as Chelsea’s first-choice keeper, had some shaky moments as the Blues were put under pressure with a number of crosses into the area and he was jeered by the home crowd when he had the ball at his feet.
Sanchez produced an excellent save to deny Merino in the second half, but Chelsea could not find the goal to get something from the game. Liverpool are not playing in the league this weekend as they are involved in the Carabao Cup final.
Arsenal have tried to play with more control since their first attempt at winning the Premier League title under Mikel Arteta a couple of seasons ago.
Since then, their attacking play has been criticised and this season their need for an elite forward has been made more apparent with most of their key attacking players having been ruled out at some point during in the season.
Arsenal are really well organised under Arteta but they did not do enough with the ball when they were in good positions. That has been the theme of their season and a large reason why they have dropped away in the race for this season’s title.
Merino’s goal, Arsenal’s 11th in all competitions from corners this season, shows that Arteta is justified in his continued work with set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, as their threat from set-pieces gets them crucial points, particularly in tight games.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, back in the starting line-up, was excellent again as he celebrated his first call-up to the senior England squad.
Bukayo Saka was pitchside before the match and, with Arteta saying he is getting “closer” to a return, all supporters at Arsenal hope he will be in contention for their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid next month.The aim for Chelsea this season is to qualify for the Champions League and the battle for those European places look like they are going to come down to the last few games of the season.
Their hopes of winning this match were dealt a big blow when news broke of Palmer’s absence.
Chelsea have scored 53 goals in the Premier League this season and 20 of those have been scored or assisted by Palmer (38%). The 22-year-old is not in his best form for Chelsea and has not scored for seven games, but his quality and threat was missed.
Manager Enzo Maresca continued with Pedro Neto as his central striker in the absence of Jackson, but he was comfortably dealt with by an organised and excellent Arsenal backline.
Chelsea have progressed this season under Maresca and are going to be in the running for the Champions League places at the end of the season, but they need to take more risk in the final third if they are going to secure that place. The Blues are now winless in their past seven away league games and have lost the past four on the road.
- Source: BBC Sport
