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 aim 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 attributable to harm as they meekly surrendered to a harmful defeat for his or her hopes of a top-four end.
The Blues stay in fourth for now however have 5 sides from Manchester Metropolis in fifth to Aston Villa in ninth inside 4 factors of Enzo Maresca’s crew.
Each 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 residence to Tottenham on April 3.
“We did sufficient to should win the sport,” mentioned Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. “Now we’ve got the worldwide break so let’s take an opportunity to breathe and produce some gamers again hopefully.”
Arsenal have struggled badly for targets because the 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 submit on 20 minutes.
Chelsea barely threatened however have been practically gifted a route again into the sport when David Raya fumbled Marc Cucurella’s shot and the ball trickled extensive.
On the different finish, Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez made an excellent cease to stop Merino doubling Arsenal’s lead with the very best effort of the second half.
However the recreation 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 an enormous distinction within the two video games between us,” mentioned Maresca. “Given the accidents, we fought till the tip.”
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 outdoors the highest 5.
A top-five end will nearly definitely safe a spot in Europe’s prime 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 on the subject of their Premier League kind.
Ange Postecoglou’s aspect have gained simply thrice within the 10 league matches which have adopted a midweek Europa League fixture.
“It has been a troublesome marketing campaign for positive,” mentioned Spurs captain Son Heung-min.
“However I really feel we have misplaced too many video games that we must 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 residence from Andreas Pereira’s cross.
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 in a while Sunday when Ruben Amorim’s crew go to lowly Leicester.
AFP
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