Arsenal keep alive faint title hopes with 1-0 win over Chelsea

Arsenal defeated London rivals Chelsea 1-0 for their first win in four Premier League games on Sunday as a headed goal by stand-in striker Mikel Merino boosted their faint hopes of catching up with runaway leaders Liverpool.

Merino scored in the 20th minute when he stooped to flick his looping header over Robert Sanchez in the Chelsea goal after a Martin Odegaard corner.

The win left second-placed Arsenal 12 points behind Liverpool who face Newcastle United in the League Cup final later on Sunday.

Both the top two teams have played 29 games with a further nine rounds of fixtures to go.

Chelsea are fourth, one point ahead of Manchester City and five behind third-placed Nottingham Forest.

Tottenham’s woes continue

Substitutes Rodrigo Muniz and Ryan Sessegnon struck late to give Fulham a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday, as the Cottagers cut the gap on their rivals for European football next season.

Fulham were far superior in the first half but failed to capitalise and Spurs were much improved after the break, with Dominic Solanke twice heading wide before he sliced over from close range.

But Muniz produced a superb first-time finish 12 minutes from time and Fulham academy product Sessegnon, who moved to Spurs in 2019 before returning last July, scored the second goal of his second spell at Fulham to secure the victory in the 88th minute.

Fulham’s win puts them eighth, with 45 points from 29 games, three points behind Manchester City in fifth, which could be good enough to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Spurs remain 13th, with 34 points from 29 games