Arsenal no longer feels the blues

In a tense London derby, Arsenal defeated Chelsea (1-0), securing their second place in the Premier League. Fulham, on the other hand, pushed Tottenham further down with a convincing 2-0 victory.

Photos: Arsenal/FC Chelsea/DR

Arsenal shines again against their neighbor

Despite missing key players like Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus, Arsenal still managed to set the pace against Chelsea. From the very first minutes, the Gunners put the Blues under pressure. In the 20th minute, Mikel Merino found the back of the net with a precise header from a corner kick (1-0). Although Gabriel Martinelli was elusive and the team well-organized, Arsenal couldn’t widen the gap, often due to a lack of precision in the final moments. Chelsea, despite increased possession towards the end of the first half, barely troubled the Gunners except for a mishandled attempt by Marc Cucurella that goalkeeper David Raya struggled to deal with.

Photos: Arsenal/FC Chelsea/DR

A tense yet controlled second half

After halftime, fouls and cautions overshadowed the spectacle. However, the clearest chances remained with Arsenal: Sanchez had to make decisive saves against Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard to prevent a rout. Chelsea, for their part, lacked creativity and efficiency in their attacks, failing to mount a comeback. With this valuable victory, the Gunners cement their second-place position, leaving Chelsea, in fourth, 9 points behind in the fierce fight for a Champions League spot.