Arsenal moved ten points clear of fifth-placed Manchester City and strengthened their grip on a Champions League qualification spot after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Chelsea.

In a match lacking quality, Mikel Merino’s first-half header proved decisive, as Mikel Arteta’s side capitalised on a defensive-minded Chelsea outfit missing their talismanic forward, Cole Palmer. Despite their early dominance, the Gunners had to battle through a frustrating contest to claim all three points.

Early Pressure and Set-Piece Success

Arsenal began brightly, applying relentless pressure on Chelsea’s recalled goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, whose erratic clearances only added to his team’s defensive uncertainty. The Blues narrowly avoided an early setback thanks to frantic, last-ditch defending, while a strong penalty appeal was waved away when Marc Cucurella appeared to handle the ball.

Declan Rice squandered two decent shooting opportunities, and Leandro Trossard’s shocking miscue summed up Arsenal’s early wastefulness. As history has shown, Arsenal often struggle when failing to convert early chances, but this time, they had a well-drilled Plan B.

Set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, without a goal from a dead-ball situation since New Year’s Day, devised a clever corner routine that broke the deadlock in the 20th minute. Martin Ødegaard delivered a precise corner to the near post, where Merino guided a deft header off his forehead, looping the ball beyond a helpless Sánchez and into the Chelsea net.

Chelsea’s Physical Approach and Missed VAR Calls

Chelsea’s response was aggressive, with Wesley Fofana escaping punishment despite raking his studs down Rice’s thigh. The visitors continued their physical approach, with Fofana and Levi Colwill both guilty of reckless challenges, though only the latter was booked for a high tackle on Trossard.

Arsenal, despite their dominance, were nearly pegged back before half-time when David Raya fumbled a routine save from Cucurella, fortunate that the ball rolled behind for a corner rather than into his net. That moment gave Chelsea renewed confidence, but they reverted to their defensive stance after the break.

Sánchez Redeems Himself, but Chelsea Lack Firepower

Though often criticised, Sánchez kept Chelsea in the game with a brilliant save to deny Merino’s volley on the hour mark. The Gunners, mindful of their earlier slip-up against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, looked cautious in the closing stages, while the home crowd grew restless.

Despite Chelsea’s late push, neither side created significant chances in the dying minutes. Ultimately, Arsenal held firm to secure three vital points, further cementing their Champions League aspirations.

Player Ratings:

Arsenal: Raya 6, Timber 7, Saliba 6, Gabriel 6, Lewis-Skelly 7, Partey 6, Rice 6, Ødegaard 6 (Tierney 90), Trossard 6, Martinelli 6 (Nwaneri), Merino 6.

Subs: Neto, White, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Calafiori, Butler-Oyedeji.

Chelsea: Sánchez 6, James 7 (Lavia 82), Fofana 5 (Adarabioyo 86), Badiashile 7 (Gusto 86), Colwill 6, Cucurella 6, Caicedo 5, Fernández 5, Nkunku 5 (Dewsbury-Hall 76), Sancho 6 (George 76), Neto 6.

Subs: Jorgensen, Bettinelli, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Acheampong.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh – 5.