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Arsenal’s surprise challenge for the Premier League title shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, Sunday’s 1-0 win over Chelsea only confirms that this Arsenal side could be their strongest in years.
Gabriel’s second-half goal was enough to keep Mikel Arteta’s side at the top of the league table after a performance that was more dominant than the result might suggest.
The Brazilian centre-back was on hand to head home a corner from Bukayo Saka in the 63rd minute at Stamford Bridge against the Toothless Chelsea side.
“From start to finish, I think we deserved to win today,” Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka said. “We were by far the better team today. We are very happy because at the moment everything is going well.”
Really good, actually.
It was Arsenal’s 11th win in 13 league games and lifted Arsenal two points clear of Manchester City, who had led through the night with a last-gasp victory over Fulham on Saturday. It also sends a stronger message to City that Arsenal is likely to be the main contender for the title this season after adding this result to previous victories against Liverpool and Tottenham.
But for Chelsea, it was a disappointing performance that will add pressure on manager Graham Potter, especially after losing 4-1 to his former club Brighton last week.
said Potter, who took over at Chelsea in September following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel.
“We’re not in a great moment as we speak. As much as it’s not nice to say, Arsenal deserved to win the game and were the better team overall, so we have to take that and use it as motivation to improve.”
Arsenal dominated most of the game and might already have been ahead in the second half had Gabriel Jesus not extended his goal drought to a ninth successive match in all competitions by denying the best chance of the first half with a wide header from close range.
Chelsea, meanwhile, rarely threaten even after falling behind – although a heavy downpour over the last 20 minutes turned the end of the game into more effort. Former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who faced Arsenal for the first time since leaving the club for Barcelona in January, kept quiet until he was taken off just after the opening goal.
Arsenal were in front for most of a fast-paced first half, but were unable to make a great save from Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Ben White shot narrowly wide from just inside the area in the 10th minute, Gabriel Martinelli fired a long-range shot just wide in the 17th minute and Jesus volleyed a Thiago Silva shot after taking the ball from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and dribbling it inside. area in 20.
Jesus then denied the better chance in the 29th minute when he was unable to connect with Martinelli’s cross, heading wide of the goal.
Chelsea had rarely threatened until Kai Havertz ran a ball into the area in the 34th, but only managed to save Aaron Ramsdal’s routine.
In the end, it was the defender who broke the deadlock.
Saka’s corner kick went past a group of players as it ricocheted into the area before Gabriel converted it into the top of the net.
Saka had a chance to double his lead in the 68th minute, but he crossed the bar from a tricky angle.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard also denied a good chance after Jesus sent him across the goal on a quick counter-attack, lifting his shot high after cutting inside.
It didn’t matter in the end as Arsenal are now one game away from going to Globalism The cup break as it climbs up the standings as the club seeks its first Premier League title since 2003-2004, when the “Invincibles” went undefeated.
“I was really impressed,” Arteta said of his team’s performance. “We are a young team, but we showed a lot of maturity today, a lot of composure, a lot of courage to play on this stage the way we did.
“It’s easy to say but actually very hard to do. I think the boys were absolutely fantastic today.”
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