Makeshift ahead Mikel Merino scored his fourth purpose in all competitions since working in his new place to provide Arsenal a Twentieth-minute lead at residence to Chelsea within the Premier League on Sunday.
Aerial specialist Merino flicked Martin Odegaard’s nook past goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to cap a dominant begin by his aspect, who repeatedly pressed for the opener and went shut by photographs by Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard and a Jurrien Timber header.
“The nook drought is over,” ex-Arsenal ahead Alan Smith mentioned of his former aspect, talking on Sky Sports activities. “It’s been some time.
“You possibly can see how happy [Merino’s] team-mates had been. That’s simply what [their] gamers wanted. They did all of the pushing.”
Mikel Merino has performed it once more! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NJlaATsgL6
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 16, 2025
Arsenal v Chelsea: Blues cornered
Arsenal have scored 15 objectives from corners within the high flight this season however they’d not added to that tally since Dominic Solanke’s personal purpose for Tottenham within the derby on the Emirates Stadium on January 15.
Regardless of their status for scoring from set items, the title hopefuls had taken 51 corners with out discovering the online earlier than Merino made the breakthrough in opposition to the Blues.
Merino is a midfielder however was used as a centre-forward for the primary time instead in Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Leicester Metropolis on February 15, rewarding Arteta’s improvisational resolution with each objectives.
The Spain worldwide produced a purpose and help within the 7-1 win at PSV within the Champions League on March 4, however his purpose in opposition to Chelsea was his first within the league since his double in opposition to the Foxes.
How has Sanchez saved this out? 🤯 pic.twitter.com/IsnbhLRIq4
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 16, 2025
Palmer out for Chelsea
With 10 video games of their league season remaining, Arsenal started the sport figuring out that their prospects of overtaking leaders Liverpool had been vanishingly slim after dropping factors for a 3rd successive match with a 1-1 draw at Manchester United per week earlier.
Chelsea had the prospect to maneuver three factors behind Arsenal however had not gained the fixture of their earlier seven makes an attempt, final doing so with a 2-0 away victory in August 2021.
Supervisor Enzo Maresca needed to make do with out high scorer Cole Palmer, with the Italian revealing earlier than kick-off that the England worldwide had sustained a minor harm.
Wideman Marc Cucurella, who scored the one purpose of the sport in Chelsea’s residence win over Leicester Metropolis final Sunday, went closest because the guests struggled to indicate an enchancment on a run of away kind that has seen them winless on the street within the league since beating Tottenham on December 8.