Arsenal Edge Out Chelsea, Man Utd Beat Leicester

AFP/APP

London: Chelsea’s challenge for a place in next season’s Champions League faltered in a toothless 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday as Manchester United continued their upward trend with a 3-0 win at Leicester.

Mikel Merino scored the only goal of a disappointing contest at the Emirates as Arsenal pulled clear in second place and to within 12 points of runaway leaders Liverpool.

Chelsea badly missed the presence of the absent Cole Palmer due to injury as they meekly surrendered to a damaging defeat for their hopes of a top-four finish. The Blues remain in fourth for now but have five sides from fifth-placed Manchester City to Aston Villa in ninth within four points of Enzo Maresca’s men.

Both managers are hoping to be stronger after the upcoming international break. Bukayo Saka is nearing a return for Arsenal, while Maresca is confident of having Palmer, Nico Jackson, and Noni Madueke back when they are next in action at home to Tottenham on April 3.

“We did enough to deserve to win the game,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. “Now we have the international break so let’s take a chance to breathe and bring some players back hopefully.”

Arsenal have struggled badly for goals since the loss of Kai Havertz to a season-ending injury forced midfielder Merino into a makeshift centre-forward role. The Spanish international proved the match-winner from a corner as he looped a header from Martin Odegaard’s delivery inside the far post on 20 minutes.

Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez made a brilliant stop to prevent Merino doubling Arsenal’s lead with the best effort of the second half. But the game petered out with little goalmouth action as a limp performance will do little to quieten the critics of Maresca’s style of play among the Chelsea support.