Mikel Arteta's Arsenal won their final match before the international break
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta wasn't fully satisfied with his team despite them getting the better of Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners needed just one goal to claim all three points on Sunday afternoon. Mikel Merino was the man who scored it, heading home from a corner, to help Arteta's men move nine points clear of their opponents.
Arteta's men dropped points in their previous outing against Manchester United, surrendering more ground behind Liverpool. The Chelsea meeting was a game in hand, and one they needed to win - and they did just that - though they remain 12 points behind league leaders Liverpool with just nine games to go.
Despite taking an early lead, Arsenal weren't able to build on their early dominance against Chelsea - not that they needed to in the end. Their boss was pleased with the result and what it means for their season, but suggested his players are capable of more.
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"We should have done much more but we are very happy and it was an important game," Arteta told Sky Sports. "We play a top opponent and the team played with an unbelievable spirit and now we go to the international break. The only thing we can do is try to win our matches. If we do, we are in a better position."
Merino has continued up front in the absence of injured pair Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus. Fellow injury victim Bukayo Saka is close to returning, though, and Arteta praised Merino while confirming Saka "has a good chance" of featuring in April when Arsenal return from the international break with a game against in-form Fulham.
"We have had top players out for many many months. Our team has an incredible resilience," Arteta added. "Mikel [Merino] really wants to do well, he has never played that position before but he is scoring goals. He is a really dangerous player in the box and he can help us. Really pleased, even physically it is a very different game to play as a nine."
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Stand-in striker Mikel Merino scored the winner
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Image:
Getty Images)
Chelsea are also hopeful of welcoming key players back after the international break. Cole Palmer missed out against Arsenal - the first time he has sat out a league game all season - while Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke are close to coming back from longer absences.
"Given the injuries, we fought until the end," Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca told Sky Sports. "After the international break, we can have more players back like Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke for the final sprint.
"We competed well, The game was there. They scored a set-piece, they are masters at that. It is a shame but my feeling is that we are going in the right direction. We controlled the game, we created some chances. In the second half we were there. Overall, I think we competed very well."
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