Arsenal secured their third consecutive win at home against Chelsea in the Premier League in a narrow 1-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Merino netted home from a corner in the first half to hand the Gunners a deserved win after a dominant performance.
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As it happened
Today’s fixture was the 100th time Arsenal have hosted Chelsea in all competitions. The Gunners were hoping to return to winning ways having only picked up two points in their last three Premier League outings. Meanwhile, Chelsea headed to North London in the search of a third consecutive league win to try and enhance their Champions League qualification hopes.
Mikel Arteta’s side raced out of the blocks and enjoyed plenty of chances in the opening stages of the first half. In the third minute, Gabriel Martinelli teed up Leandro Trossard on the edge of the box, but the Belgian delayed his effort before eventually firing off target.
The Chelsea defence were unsettled early on. Robert Sánchez’s pass out from the box was intercepted by Martinelli, who drove into the area and tested the Chelsea goalkeeper.
Marc Cucurella was then caught in his penalty area moments later as he tried to usher the ball out of play. Jurrien Timber pounced on the left-back’s mistake and fizzed a cross into the six-yard box. Wesley Fofana nipped ahead of Martinelli, preventing a tap in for the Brazilian, before a scramble in the box forced Sánchez into a brilliant save. The rebound fell to Declan Rice who sliced a half-volley over the bar – a huge escape for the Blues.
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Arsenal continued to apply pressure as they pushed for an opener. Rice took aim again, this time from 25-yards out, but his strike narrowly went past the post before Trossard scuffed an effort inside the box.
In the 20th minute, Arsenal finally opened the scoring courtesy of a well-worked set-piece. Martin Ødegaard’s in-swinging corner was met at the near post by Mikel Merino, who looped a header over Sánchez for his fifth goal of the season. The goal was Arsenal’s 27th from a corner since the start of last season, 10 more than any other side.
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Chelsea struggled to carve out any decent chances throughout the match. They came close to an equaliser just before the interval after David Raya spilled Cucurella’s volley but it trickled just past the post.
The second half lacked quality from both sides. Chelsea failed to generate any momentum and lacked the presence of the their star man Cole Palmer, who missed the tip to the Emirates through illness.
Arsenal came inches away from doubling their lead on the hour mark. Martinelli floated a ball to the back post and was met by Merino who cushioned a volley at goal. Sánchez did well to get across goal and prevent it from going over the line.
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Victory for the Gunners sees them cut the gap to Liverpool to 12 points with nine games remaining. They host Fulham after the international break, whilst Chelsea travel to North London again as they take on Spurs.
The lineups
ARS: Raya; Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel, Saliba, Timber; Rice, Partey, Ødegaard; Trossard, Merino, Martinelli
CHE: Sánchez; Cucurella, Badiashile, Colwill, Fofana; Caicedo, James; Nkunku, Fernández, Sancho; Neto