Chelsea’s problem for a spot in subsequent season’s Champions League faltered in a toothless 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday as Fulham beat Tottenham 2-0. Mikel Merino scored the one purpose of a disappointing contest on the Emirates as Arsenal pulled clear in second place and to inside 12 factors of runaway leaders Liverpool. Chelsea badly missed the presence of the absent Cole Palmer resulting from harm as they meekly surrendered to a dangerous defeat for his or her hopes of a top-four end.
The Blues stay in fourth for now however have 5 sides from Manchester City in fifth to Aston Villa in ninth inside 4 factors of Enzo Maresca’s workforce.
Both managers are hoping to be stronger after the upcoming worldwide break.
Bukayo Saka is nearing a return for Arsenal, whereas Maresca is assured of getting Palmer, Nico Jackson and Noni Madueke again when they’re subsequent in motion at dwelling to Tottenham on April 3.
“We did sufficient to should win the sport,” mentioned Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. “Now we now have the worldwide break so let’s take an opportunity to breathe and produce some gamers again hopefully.”
Arsenal have struggled badly for objectives for the reason that lack of Kai Havertz to a season-ending harm compelled midfielder Merino right into a makeshift centre-forward position.
The Spanish worldwide proved the match winner from a nook as he looped a header from Martin Odegaard’s supply contained in the far publish on 20 minutes.
Chelsea barely threatened however had been almost gifted a route again into the sport when David Raya fumbled Marc Cucurella’s shot and the ball trickled huge.
At the opposite finish, Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez made an excellent cease to stop Merino doubling Arsenal’s lead with one of the best effort of the second half.
But the sport petered out with little goalmouth motion as a limp efficiency will do little to quieten the critics of Maresca’s model of play among the many Chelsea help.
“There was not a giant distinction within the two video games between us,” mentioned Maresca. “Given the accidents, we fought till the top.”
Spurs’ European hangover
Tottenham stored their season alive by reaching the Europa League quarter-finals with victory over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday, however suffered the newest in a collection of European hangovers at Craven Cottage.
Victory for Fulham propels Marco Silva’s males into the race for Champions League locations as they climb to eighth, 4 factors off the highest 4 and three exterior the highest 5.
A top-five end will nearly definitely safe a spot in Europe’s high membership competitors subsequent season due to the robust efficiency of English sides in European competitions.
Spurs, although, have struggled to deal with the burden of Thursday nights in relation to their Premier League type.
Ange Postecoglou’s aspect have gained simply thrice within the 10 league matches which have adopted a midweek Europa League fixture.
“It’s been a troublesome marketing campaign for certain,” mentioned Spurs captain Son Heung-min.
“But I really feel we have misplaced too many video games that we should always have gotten stuff out of, and this was a type of video games.”
Fulham needed to wait till 78 minutes to take the lead when Rodrigo Muniz steered dwelling from Andreas Pereira’s go.
Ryan Sessegnon then curled in an excellent second in opposition to his former membership to safe victory late on.
Spurs stay down in thirteenth, now 10 factors off the highest half.
Manchester United are in motion afterward Sunday when Ruben Amorim’s workforce go to lowly Leicester.
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