Mikel Merino’s first-half header secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory for Arsenal against Chelsea in a closely contested London derby on Super Sunday. Merino capitalized on a set-piece from Martin Odegaard, turning in a well-placed header at the near post just 20 minutes into the match. This goal marked Arsenal’s first corner goal in 51 attempts, ending a lengthy drought that extended back to January 15 against Tottenham.
The Gunners were deserving of their lead and had strong claims for a penalty due to a handball by Marc Cucurella just prior to their opening goal. Despite Arsenal’s dominance in the first half, Chelsea began to find their rhythm, with Cucurella coming close to equalizing before halftime, striking a shot that nearly slipped past Arsenal’s goalkeeper, David Raya.
The second half was intense, featuring fewer scoring opportunities but a plethora of yellow cards—seven in total—as both teams fought hard. Chelsea struggled to mount a significant offensive response, managing a single chance from Cucurella that failed to test Raya. The match highlighted both teams’ need for more attacking depth, with only one goal stemming from 20 combined shots on target.
With this result, Arsenal moves nine points clear of Chelsea, who sit fifth, while also narrowing the gap to league leaders Liverpool, currently 12 points ahead. Arsenal will look to build on this momentum as the Premier League continues to unfold.
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