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 objective 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 sickness 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 Metropolis in fifth to Aston Villa in ninth inside 4 factors of Enzo Maresca’s workforce.
Arsenal have struggled badly for objectives because the lack of Kai Havertz to a season-ending damage has compelled midfielder Merino right into a makeshift centre-forward function.
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 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 a superb cease to stop Merino doubling Arsenal’s lead with one of the best effort of the second half.
However the sport petered out with little goalmouth motion as a limp efficiency will do little to quieten the critics of Maresca’s type of play among the many Chelsea assist.
– Spurs’ European hangover –
Tottenham saved their season alive by reaching the Europa League quarter-finals with victory over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday, however suffered the newest in a sequence 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 virtually definitely safe a spot in Europe’s prime membership competitors subsequent season because of the robust efficiency of English sides in European competitions.
Spurs, although, have struggled to deal with the burden of Thursday nights in terms of their Premier League kind.
Ange Postecoglou’s aspect have gained simply 3 times within the 10 league matches which have adopted a midweek Europa League fixture.
Fulham have been the higher aspect all through however needed to wait till 78 minutes to take the lead when Rodrigo Muniz steered house from Andreas Pereira’s cross.
Ryan Sessegnon then curled in a superb second towards his former membership to safe victory late on.
Manchester United are in motion afterward Sunday when Ruben Amorim’s workforce go to lowly Leicester.
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