Agencies | London
Arsenal strengthened their grip atop the Premier League with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Brentford at the Emirates, restoring a five-point cushion over Manchester City.
Mikel Merino opened the scoring with an 11th-minute header, but Brentford’s stubborn resistance meant the match wasn’t sealed until substitute Bukayo Saka netted in stoppage time.
The win extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions to 18 matches and highlighted their resilience despite injuries to key defenders William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and the fresh concerns over Cristhian Mosquera and Declan Rice. Manager Mikel Arteta’s side showed calm composure under pressure, countering City’s earlier 5-4 victory at Fulham, and reaffirming their title credentials.
Chelsea, by contrast, suffered a damaging 3-1 defeat at Leeds United, undermining their hopes of mounting a serious title challenge. Early goals from Jaka Bijol and Ao Tanaka put the hosts firmly in control, and although Pedro Neto pulled one back for Chelsea, a defensive mix-up allowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin to seal the victory.
Chelsea’s inconsistency has now left them fourth on 24 points, just ahead of Crystal Palace, while Leeds moved to 17th following the win. The defeat highlighted the Blues’ struggles away from Stamford Bridge and reinforced doubts about their ability to sustain a title bid this season.
