Arsenal (1) 1 v 0 (0) Chelsea
20 Mikel Merino, assist Odegaard
Yellows: Gabriel, Partey, Odegaard Colwill, Neto, Fofana Ref. C Kavanagh
Played Sunday 16 March 2025 at The Emirates Stadium, attendance 60,311.
This was a lack-lustre Premier London Derbies (PLDs) match in which Arsenal, despite winning, did not stamp any authority on the game. Where is their season going now? They are in the UEFA Champions League Quarter-finals but against Holders, and so difficult to beat, Real Madrid. They are 12 points behind Premier League (PL) leaders Liverpool with 9 to play and likely to stay there despite the leader’s recent hiccoughs. Chelsea are 4th in the PL with 49 points from 29 games played, but Brighton in 7th are only 2 points behind, as are EFL/Carabao Cup Winners Newcastle United. A long way to go still this season for inconsistent Blues and at times toothless Gunners.
Fulham (0) 2 v 0 (0) Tottenham Hotspur
78 Munz, assist Pereira
88 Sessegnon
Yellows: nil nil Referee A Madeley
Played Sunday 16 March 2025 at Craven Cottage, attendance 27,182.
Fulham got into the European football mix with this win which pushed them up to 8th with 45 points. It looked like Tottenham Hotspur were more likely to score until Fulham’s two second half substitutes intervened. First Rodrigo Muniz took a neat pass from Andreas Pereira to score simply. Then enter – or rather re-enter – Ryan Sessegnon on 87 minutes to score with a tremendous right foot shot one minute later. It was he who left Fulham in 2019 for Spurs with a £25 million price tag and great hopes for his career as an English left full back. He played 38 games under three different, in many ways, Head Coaches; spent months with hamstring injuries; only to return to Craven Cottage on a free transfer in the summer 2024. His was a hero’s welcome home. For Spurs it is can this season get any worse – probably yes against Chelsea on 3 April!
There are no PLDs matches until April it being FIFA World Cup Qualifiers weekend.
Until next time, “Keep Safe”, and enjoy your football, Andrew at PLDs.