Chelsea all but blew their slim chances of finishing in the Premier League top four yesterday as Arsenal closed the gap on the Blues to just three points.
Cesar Azpilicueta had given Chelsea the lead on 36 minutes after getting on the end of Alvaro Morata’s knock-down, but Javier Hernandez levelled for West Ham following the break to earn the Hammers a precious point.
The East London side now lie in 14th spot, six points clear of Southampton, who occupy the third of the relegation positions. The Saints find themselves in the mire after a dramatic 3-2 defeat at the Emirates, in a match that had a bit of everything.
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Danny Welbeck was the Arsenal hero, scoring a goal in each half - although he was also guilty of one of the worst misses you’re ever likely to see in the Premier League.
It was a gaffe-strewn performance in general from the Gunners, although that seems permissible given that they had made seven changes to the side since thrashing CSKA Moscow in Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final.
Welbeck’s winner came nine minutes from time, but there was still plenty of action to unfold at the Emirates as first Saints centre-back Jack Stephens and then Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny were sent off for separate incidents.
Stephens saw red for an off-the-ball clash with Jack Wilshere, and Southampton manager Mark Hughes was furious that the Arsenal midfielder didn’t also receive his marching orders.
“Wilshere should have been sent off,” fumed Hughes. “Jack Stephens has reacted to being pulled back for about 20 yards. It’s not correct but it’s understandable. But if you’re going to send Jack off, you have to send Wilshere off for bouncing up. I thought I saw a definite movement with his knee towards Jack.”
The victory stretches Arsenal’s winning streak in all competitions to six successive matches and lifts them to 54 points, three behind Chelsea, who in turn trail Tottenham in fourth by ten points.
“Some of our players had heavy legs but we still won the game when we were questioned, I really like the spirit in this team,” said manager Arsene Wenger. “Every game you win makes you stronger, it’s important that you keep your run going.
“We have gone through a difficult spell, but because the players are proud we came back. Now we hope to keep this going.”
By contrast, Chelsea have now won just one of their last five Premier League matches, a slump in form that almost certainly means they will fail to catch Tottenham for the fourth Champions League qualifying spot, with just six league matches remaining.
Asked about their hopes of finishing in the top four, Conte laughed, and said: “I don’t know, I don’t know. We will try to do our best.”
There was also a question about the chorus of boos that greeted Chelsea at the final whistle, to which Conte replied: “For sure, there is disappointment and this is normal… we are paying a lot for this situation and if it happens a lot then you have problems.”
This weekend’s Premier League results:
- Everton 0 Liverpool 0
- AFC Bournemouth 2 Crystal Palace 2
- Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Huddersfield Town 1
- Leicester City 1 Newcastle United 2
- Stoke City 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2
- Watford 1 Burnley 2
- West Bromwich Albion 1 Swansea City 1
- Manchester City 2 Manchester United 3
- Arsenal 3 Southampton 2
- Chelsea 1 West Ham United 1
