Arsenal snapped their three-game winless skid with a narrow, but never threatened, 1-0 victory over Chelsea in north London on Sunday to move within 12 points of Premier League leaders Liverpool.
WATCH – Arsenal vs Chelsea full match replay
The Gunners’ title chances are all but gone (provided Liverpool don’t throw it away in truly historic fashion), but Mikel Arteta’s side is still alive in the UEFA Champions League and will do well to hold off Nottingham Forest (four points back) for a third straight 2nd-place finish. Defensive midfielder-turned-center forward Mikel Merino scored the game’s only goal in the 20th minute as he sent a looping header from Martin Odegaard’s corner kick inside the far post.
Speaking of failed title challenges, Chelsea (49 points - 4th place) have now won just four of their last 14 PL games since entering the title race in mid-December. Enzo Maresca’s side attempted just 8 shots for a paltry 0.35 xG with Cole Palmer out of the team due to a “very small problem” (read: minor injury) in training on Saturday.
So that works against Chelsea, but Real Madrid?
Merino has now scored three of Arsenal’s last four goals in the PL (five games), dating back to his brace against West Ham. Furthermore, it was Arsenal’s first goal from a set piece since early December, after they effectively built their title challenge on corner kicks and free kicks to that point. Arteta said after the game that the Gunners’ high press caused Chelsea lots of problems and that they should have generated more scoring chances (just 0.77 xG themselves) off of them. Will he be so bold to try the same against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals next month? And if not, where will the chances come from? Bukayo Saka is expected to return shortly before the first leg on April 8, but how effective (and how quickly) will he be to transform this destitute attacking unit?
Player ratings - Arsenal vs Chelsea
What’s next?
- Arsenal vs Fulham — Tuesday, April 1 (2:45 pm ET)
- Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur — Thursday, April 3 (3 pm ET)
Arsenal vs Chelsea live updates - by Andy Edwards
Arsenal vs Chelsea final score: 1-0
Goalscorers: Mikel Merino (20')
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea: Merino heads home Odegaard’s corner kick (20')
The Gunners’ first set-piece goal since early December.
OUT! Cole Palmer not on Chelsea’s XI or on the bench
No reason yet as to why Palmer is not in Enzo Maresca’s team to face Arsenal, but it has been more than two months (Jan. 14) since he last scored or assisted a goal for Chelsea.
Arsenal starting lineup
Raya - Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly - Partey, Rice, Odegaard - Martinelli, Trossard, Merino
Chelsea starting lineup
Sanchez - Fofana, Badiashile, Colwill, Cucurella - James, Caicedo, Fernandez - Neto, Sancho, Nkunku
How to watch Arsenal vs Chelsea live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 9:30am ET Sunday
Venue: Emirates Stadium — London
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Premier League on Peacock
Mikel Arteta walked out of his post-match interview after Arsenal came from behind to rescue a late draw against 14th-place Manchester United, unhappy and unwilling to answer any further questions about his side’s failed title bid. Liverpool, who have played one game more and will face Newcastle in the League Cup final on Sunday, are 15 points clear of the field with nine games left to play. Arsenal’s new challenge, at least domestically, will be to hold onto 2nd place (for the third straight season) with Nottingham Forest just four point behind in 3rd and Chelsea six back in 4th.
Chelsea also advanced in Europe this week, as Enzo Maresca made six changes to the side that beat Leicester last weekend and still managed to see of Copenhagen in the Europa Conference League round of 16 on Thursday. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored the only goal in the second leg to give the Blues a 3-1 aggregate victory and set up a quarterfinal clash with Polish side Legia Warsaw next month. Cole Palmer came off the bench at halftime and played no part in the goal, thus extending his run of games without a goal or an assist to 10 in all competitions. Palmer last found the back of the net against Bournemouth on Jan. 14, more than two months ago by the time Chelsea vs Arsenal kicks off on Sunday.
Arsenal team news
OUT: Kai Havertz (hamstring - MORE), Gabriel Jesus (torn ACL - out for season), Bukayo Saka (hamstring - MORE), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee)
Chelsea team news
OUT: Noni Madueke (thigh), Nicolas Jackson (thigh), Mykhailo Mudryk (suspension), Marc Guiu (groin) | QUESTIONABLE: Christopher Nkunku (illness), Omari Kellyman (thigh), Malo Gusto (undisclosed), Cole Palmer (illness), Reece James (illness)
Arsenal vs Chelsea prediction
A wide open, end-to-end affair might just be what Arsenal need to break out of their scoring slump and we know that Chelsea will be happy to oblige, so don’t be surprised if we get a bit of a goal fest in this one. Arsenal 2-2 Chelsea.
