Arsenal held by Chelsea as PL title race tightens; Isak lifts Liverpool, Man United beats Palace

London: Mikel Merino rescued a point for Arsenal in a 1-1 draw against 10-man Chelsea on Sunday, adding further intrigue to an increasingly tense Premier League title race.

Arsenal stayed five points clear atop the table, with Manchester City now second after Saturday’s late win over Leeds. Chelsea sits a point behind City in third.

The match at Stamford Bridge swung just before halftime when Moises Caicedo was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Merino. Despite the setback, Chelsea struck first through Trevoh Chalobah’s header in the 48th minute. Merino levelled in the 59th, but the league leaders failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage, dropping points away from home for the second straight league game.

Having beaten Bayern Munich midweek in the Champions League, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said the week was positive overall, though admitted, “we should’ve won the game (Sunday), and we haven’t. That’s a learning point for me.”

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca praised his team’s resilience, telling Sky Sports, “I think that we showed that we are in the right direction… We were a much, much better team than them when we were 11 v. 11. Then with 10 players it's more difficult, but the way they dealt with that situation was outstanding.”

Elsewhere, Liverpool ended a miserable run of form by beating West Ham 2-0, while Manchester United staged a comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2-1. Aston Villa stayed fourth with a narrow 1-0 win over bottom-placed Wolverhampton, and Brighton remained fifth after a 2-0 victory at Nottingham Forest.

Isak opens account in Liverpool’s much-needed win

Alexander Isak scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool to help Arne Slot’s side secure a vital win at the London Stadium. With Mohamed Salah dropped to the bench, the club’s British-record signing delivered, scoring with a precise first-time finish after 60 minutes.

“I am aware that it has been a long time coming and I've been trying to get back to my best form,” Isak told Sky Sports. “I am still on the way, but I am happy to have that goal.”

Isak, a $170 million summer arrival from Newcastle, had gone five league games without scoring and had only one goal in 10 matches in all competitions. His strike put Liverpool in control, and West Ham’s hopes evaporated when Lucas Paqueta was sent off in the 84th minute. Cody Gakpo added a second in added time.

Slot’s decision to bench Salah and start Florian Wirtz with Gakpo and Isak proved rewarding. After the match, Isak added, “We have to use this win in a good way, but also be humble because we've had a tough time, so one win doesn't necessarily mean we're back.”

Zirkzee ends drought as United break Palace streak

Joshua Zirkzee ended nearly a year-long scoring drought with a superb finish to spark United’s fightback at Selhurst Park. Jean-Philippe Mateta had given Palace the lead with a twice-taken penalty in the 36th minute.

Zirkzee equalised in the 54th, spinning sharply in the box and finishing from a tight angle, his first Premier League goal since scoring twice against Everton on Dec. 1 last year.

United manager Ruben Amorim hailed the forward’s progress, saying, “Scoring is important, but it’s not just the goals. They give confidence, but Joshua has also improved a lot in how he holds the ball. That should give him a lot of confidence.”

Mason Mount fired in the winner from the edge of the box in the 63rd minute, ending Palace’s 12-match unbeaten home run in the league.

Villa, Brighton secure routine wins

Boubacar Kamara scored the lone goal as Aston Villa edged Wolves in the Midlands derby, deepening Wolves’ troubles as they remain winless and nine points from safety.

Brighton kept their strong start intact with goals from Maxim De Cuyper and Stefanos Tzimas sealing a 2-0 victory at Forest.