Daijiworld Media Network - London

London, Mar 2: Arsenal F.C. maintained their five-point cushion at the top of the Premier League with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Chelsea F.C. at the Emirates Stadium.

Defender William Saliba opened the scoring in the 21st minute, turning in a corner with the aid of a deflection. Chelsea drew level just before the break when Piero Hincapié inadvertently steered the ball into his own net. Arsenal regained control in the 66th minute as Jurrien Timber rose to power home another corner delivery.

Chelsea’s afternoon worsened when Pedro Neto was sent off in the 70th minute after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession, leaving the visitors to finish with ten men.

Elsewhere, Manchester United F.C. came from behind to secure a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace F.C., climbing to third in the standings. Palace struck early through Maxence Lacroix, but the momentum shifted when he conceded a penalty and was dismissed for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Bruno Fernandes converted from the spot before Benjamin Šeško sealed the turnaround with a commanding header midway through the second half.

At Craven Cottage, Fulham F.C. edged past Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 2-1. First-half strikes from Harry Wilson and Alex Iwobi put Fulham in control, while Richarlison pulled one back for Spurs with their only effort on target.

Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. also claimed a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest F.C. in a frenetic contest that saw all three goals arrive within the opening 15 minutes. Diego Gómez and Danny Welbeck found the net for Brighton, with Welbeck striking the decisive goal shortly after Morgan Gibbs-White had briefly restored parity for Forest.

After the derby triumph, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised his side’s resilience, highlighting their emotional response after conceding before halftime and their determination to maintain momentum in the title race.