Arsenal narrowly defeats Chelsea, while Manchester United secures a victory over Leicester
Chelsea's pursuit of a Champions League spot for next season took a hit with a dispiriting 1-0 loss to Arsenal on Sunday. Mikel Merino netted the only goal of a lackluster match at the Emirates, allowing Arsenal to solidify their second-place...
TroibNews 
Chelsea's pursuit of a Champions League spot for next season took a hit with a dispiriting 1-0 loss to Arsenal on Sunday.
Mikel Merino netted the only goal of a lackluster match at the Emirates, allowing Arsenal to solidify their second-place standing and move 12 points behind unbeaten leaders Liverpool.
The absence of injured Cole Palmer was acutely felt by Chelsea, who fell short in their quest for a top-four finish.
Both teams are looking to strengthen their squads after the upcoming international break. Arsenal is close to welcoming back Bukayo Saka, while Maresca is optimistic about having Palmer, Nico Jackson, and Noni Madueke available for their next home match against Tottenham on April 3.
Arsenal has faced challenges finding the back of the net since losing Kai Havertz to a season-ending injury, which forced Merino to step into a makeshift center-forward position.
The Spanish international became the match-winner in the 20th minute, scoring from a corner with a looping header off Martin Odegaard's delivery.
Chelsea's Robert Sanchez made an impressive save to deny Merino a second goal shortly after, which was the standout opportunity of the second half. However, the match dwindled with minimal action in front of goal, as Chelsea's lackluster performance will likely amplify criticism regarding Maresca's tactical approach among the club's supporters.
In other matches, Manchester United continued their resurgence with a convincing 3-0 victory over Leicester. Rasmus Hojlund broke a 21-game goal drought by scoring in the 28th minute, Alejandro Garnacho netted his first goal since November, and Bruno Fernandes capped off the win with a spectacular strike from outside the box, marking his seventh goal in seven games.
Meanwhile, Tottenham managed to stay in the mix for a European spot by reaching the Europa League quarter-finals with a win over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday but fell victim to another European hangover, losing 2-0 to Fulham.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
Mikel Merino netted the only goal of a lackluster match at the Emirates, allowing Arsenal to solidify their second-place standing and move 12 points behind unbeaten leaders Liverpool.
The absence of injured Cole Palmer was acutely felt by Chelsea, who fell short in their quest for a top-four finish.
Both teams are looking to strengthen their squads after the upcoming international break. Arsenal is close to welcoming back Bukayo Saka, while Maresca is optimistic about having Palmer, Nico Jackson, and Noni Madueke available for their next home match against Tottenham on April 3.
Arsenal has faced challenges finding the back of the net since losing Kai Havertz to a season-ending injury, which forced Merino to step into a makeshift center-forward position.
The Spanish international became the match-winner in the 20th minute, scoring from a corner with a looping header off Martin Odegaard's delivery.
Chelsea's Robert Sanchez made an impressive save to deny Merino a second goal shortly after, which was the standout opportunity of the second half. However, the match dwindled with minimal action in front of goal, as Chelsea's lackluster performance will likely amplify criticism regarding Maresca's tactical approach among the club's supporters.
In other matches, Manchester United continued their resurgence with a convincing 3-0 victory over Leicester. Rasmus Hojlund broke a 21-game goal drought by scoring in the 28th minute, Alejandro Garnacho netted his first goal since November, and Bruno Fernandes capped off the win with a spectacular strike from outside the box, marking his seventh goal in seven games.
Meanwhile, Tottenham managed to stay in the mix for a European spot by reaching the Europa League quarter-finals with a win over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday but fell victim to another European hangover, losing 2-0 to Fulham.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
Interested in more international Sports news? Visit TROIB Sports
