Premier League

CHELSEA missed the chance to pull clear in the race for Champions League football as they suffered a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.Mikel Merino scored the only goal of the game as the Blues produced a limp performance at the Emirates.Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea produced a limp performance as they lost 1-0 to ArsenalCredit: AFPThe Blues struggled to create chances at the EmiratesCredit: GettyChelsea were without several key men including Cole Palmer.And they struggled to create chances against Arsenal with a threadbare subs bench to boot.But who was Chelsea’s best player in North London?And did anyone have a game to forget?Here, SunSport’s Andy Dillon delivers his Chelsea player ratings…Robert Sanchez – 7Back in goal as the in-out, twists and turns of the Chelsea keepers this season rolls on. Within ten minutes he had passed the ball straight to Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli and gave his side a massive scare. Then he made a spectacular one-handed save off team-mate Levi Colwill. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSBeaten within 20 minutes by a surprise header from a corner. Great instinctive second half save from Mikel Merino again with one hand and was Chelsea’s best player. ‘I spent ages just looking at him’ – Playing vs Cristiano Ronaldo is my career highlight says star-struck Chelsea aceBoss Enzo Maresca said he had given Sanchez time out recently to rest his head. None of this will have helped stressed levels.Wesley Fofana – 5Getting back up to speed after a lengthy injury lay off. Slotting in at right back as part of the three man defence. Was so lucky to get away without any punishment when he put his boot down hard on the back of Declan Rice’s leg. The Arsenal midfielder even got his backside out to show ref Chris Kavanagh the rapidly appearing red raw studs marks. And again when he went in late on Leandro Trossard. Cautioned for show of petulance throwing a ball onto the pitch.Benoit Badiashile – 5Seemed off the pace and wasteful with his passing and shaky under pressure. Coming back from a long injury lay off into a team which while winning has looked unconvincing. Maybe using Tosin with his more experienced brain might have been a better choice for a tough away London derby?Or even switching Colwill to the left hand centre back role might have made life a little more comfortable for Chelsea? Did make one or two decent tackles though in the second half.Levi Colwill – 5Almost scored an own goal though it would have been a harsh one on him. Then maybe through frustration followed through on Trossard and got a booking. Possibly as a final warning from the ref that he wouldn’t take much more rough stuff from Chelsea who had been quite physical. Does look more at ease on the left side of defence than in the middle where he was here.Levi Colwill struggled at the backCredit: GettyMarc Cucurella – 6Booed by the Arsenal fans at every touch. Maybe a back handed compliment as he can be quite dangerous on the front foot.Has been a prolific scorer for Chelsea with the inverted full back system but didn’t get much chance to go forwards as he often does with positive effect. Can go to ground easily but was clearly cynically fouled by Odegaard in the second half as the needle cranked up between these two teams.Reece James – 6Drafted into midfield as part of the reshuffle in Cole Palmer’s absence. Played there recently against Copenhagen in the Conference League and scored a cracker. Played some neat passes forwards and is clearly a class player and was called up to the England squad on Friday as a sign of that despite being carefully managed by Chelsea following a run of hamstring injuries.Moises Caicedo – 6Is becoming a key figure at the heart of the Chelsea team. Is hard to get past but also made a couple of stray passes in a first half particularly in which the visitors did not seem to have their heads in the game. With the £115m price tag though he needs to be taking control of games in the Rice does for Arsenal at times.Moises Caicedo was involved from the startCredit: ReutersJadon Sancho – 5Has not made the impact he would have hoped for after being given a chance to rejuvenate his career on loan from Manchester United. There was even talk of an England recall during some of his better spells. But he is not exactly playing his way into Chelsea begging their rivals to sell him permanently to them in the summer.Enzo Fernandez – 6Showed fight at least but in a weird way with silly spats, notably after a clash with Gabriel which left the Arsenal centre back on the deck. He stood over the Brazilian and clearly mouthed something uncomplimentary. It riled up Arsenal and their fans. At least that is the spirit of the old Chelsea though which the fans admire.Christopher Nkunku – 5Anonymous for the first half. It is hard to see where this £50 million player fits in. He has complained of lack of game time but when given some has not made significant impact to make his manager rethink. Did not last the 90 minutes and cannot say he made much of an impression.Christopher Nkunku made little impact on the gameCredit: ReutersPedro Neto – 5ALWAYS up against it as a so-called ‘false nine’. Neither Arsenal nor Chelsea have fit, recognised strikers at the moment and it shows on both sides. Too often outmuscled by Arsenal’s more imposing defensive players. Although he is playing out of position. Must be said that he spends a lot of time complaining and it’s a waste of precious energy.SubsTyrique George (for Sancho 76 mins) – 6Given a big task to drive at Arsenal when the game was already up.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (for Nkunku 76 mins) – 6Tried to get a few runs going but despite scoring in midweek was kept on the bench.Romeo Lavia (for James 82 mins) – N/AHis return from injury will be a big boost for the Blues. But he just has to remain fit.Tosin Adarabioyo (for Badiashile 86 mins) – N/AMalo Gusto (for Fofana 86 mins) – N/A More

RYAN SESSEGNON looked almost embarrassed as his worldie blew old side Tottenham to smithereens.The 24-year-old curled brilliantly into the corner shortly after coming on, adding to a smart opener from fellow sub Rodrigo Muniz.Ryan Sessegnon curls a brilliant shot beyond VicarioCredit: GettySessegnon refused to celebrate against his former clubCredit: PAIt capped a brilliant 200th Premier League game in charge for Fulham boss Marco Silva, whose team are up to eighth and remain very much in the hunt for Europe.While this was a FIFTEENTH league defeat of the season for Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs, whose dismal league campaign continues to plumb new depths.Sessegnon was sold as a teenager by Fulham to Spurs for £25million back in 2019.Spurs hoped they had landed one of the most exciting young English players in the country.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut sadly for the winger, injuries decimated his career in North London, reducing him to just 57 games and three goals in five years at the club.Spurs even gave up their option to keep a further season last year, allowing him to walk away for free and rejoin the club that made him.In truth, his fitness troubles have continued back at Fulham, as he has started just one Prem game for Silva.But this was by far and away his best moment back for the Whites, even if he refused to celebrate his wonderstrike out of respect for his old team.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSRodrigo Muniz celebrates handing Fulham the leadCredit: AFPThe Fulham striker’s shot beat Guglielmo VicarioCredit: GettyThe Sessegnon sub-plot rescued a dull game which for the most part had the feel of an end-of-season clash with nothing riding on it.That was half understandable from a Tottenham perspective because, even with ten games left to play, their Premier League campaign is going nowhere and it is all about the Europa League.It explained why Ange Postecoglou made seven changes, starting Archie Gray in midfield for the first time in the Prem and deploying 19-year-old loanee Mathys Tel wide left.Fulham had a little more urgency about them, with Silva’s side still in the hunt for continental qualification.But were it not for the antics of Cristian Romero, plus a penalty being turned down that should have been given, the first half would have been a non-event.Romero was starting his third game in a week having played just 15 minutes in the four months before that due to a toe injury, followed by a more significant quad problem.The Argentine is box-office, whether it be crunching into tackles, playing defence-splitting passes or bawling at other players – opposing ones and his own team-mates alike.You could hear him screaming at Djed Spence, who came through the Fulham academy, to get back into position inside the first eight minutes.It was another frustrating afternoon for Ange PostecoglouCredit: PAThen he was wagging his finger at Willian after taking out the Brazilian veteran on the edge of the area, but somehow ref Andy Madley waved play on.Postecoglou will have held his breath for a second when his talismanic centre-back stayed down on the turf clutching his knee after making a vital clearance from an Antone Robinson, but fortunately he was OK to continue.Romero’s best moment, at least from a Fulham point-of-view, came when he met his match taking on Calvin Bassey, who sent him flying with a powerful shrug-off.The spot-kick flash point had come earlier, midway through the first period, as Raul Jimenez fell to the deck when leaping for a cross thanks to Spence’s shove in the back.Jimenez’s drop was a little theatrical – and perhaps that was what saved Spurs and Spence – but even so, Madley looked to have got that one wrong.Tottenham are at their best under Postecoglou when they are bold and aggressive.Both those qualities were lacking in the opening 45 so it was little surprise when the Aussie made two half-times subs.He hauled off the ineffective Yves Bissouma and Brennan Johnson – for the second league game running at the break – and replaced them with Lucas Bergvall and skipper Son Heung-min.The duo instantly made Spurs better, looking sharp with their passing and movement. Yet still the goalmouth action was at a premium.That was until the 69th minute when Solanke should have given the visitors the lead but his reactions were just too slow.Bernd Leno had palmed Mathys Tel’s curling shot into the path of James Maddison, who chested it back to Solanke but the England striker could only fire over.It proved to be a costly miss as nine minutes later, the hosts took the lead, with their own sun pair, Muniz and Adama Traore, playing a vital role.The latter did well to keep a high ball alive and give it to Andreas Pereira, who cut it back for Muniz to find the corner.READ MORE SUN STORIESSessegnon then came on in the 87th minute, serenaded by chants of “he left ‘cause you’re s***” by taunting Fulham fans in the direction of the away support.The forward then finished the game off for good by chasing down a long ball that Ben Davies failed to clear, before bending the ball into the far corner. 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