It obviously hasn't worked for us but in his 6 and a half games as a striker Merino has scored 4 goals.

If everyone was fit and Merino is a squad player who can come in to certain games and also come off the bench to add a penalty box threat if we're chasing a goal that is a role that suits him. The problem we have is whilst we needed more depth on central midfield we needed more creativity and players who can dribble. The squad has tipped the balance too far in terms of being weighted with players whose biggest strength is the finishing action but certainly not in the general build up and chance creation. Havertz, Martinelli, Trossard, Merino all fall in to this category - and to some extent Rice when he bursts in to the box, its as a finisher not a creator necessarily

I hope you’re giving it back to them. If we bring on Nwaneri or find the ability to shoot it’s all over for them.

I thought it was a deliberate handball. He knew he was done so he pretended Timber had given him a push.

The other one when he was shoved over on the edge of the penalty area when we had a free kick. How is that not a foul?

Looks like Jover has engineered a new corner technique. Near post headers and the ball does not travel into the central area.

Timber attempted one from Rice's corner kick.
Merino scored from the other.

The crowd sounds very up for it.

So did I at first but in slow motion it didn't look like it. I've seen 'em given. What surprised me was the stamp on rice. That to me was a yellow.

I think it is old issue of var not wanting to overturn a referees decision unless there is absolutely no choice. If the ref plays advantage he is the one who should bring it back because VAR won't.

fofana's third unpunished yellow card offence.

How much is Fofana allowed to get away with today?

Refs do an awful job of totting up offences.
Yellow's are incredibly subjective but if a guy has 2-3 times where you're giving him the benefit because you think he hasn't quite reached the yellow card threshold each time then the card needs to come out for persistent offending in a way that it shouldn't if you're giving away 3 free kicks for much more minor infractions.

Fofana finally booked - but for a technical offence not a foul - so the ref needs to remember he's still on the totting up process for fouls - he won't of course

Good volley from Merino, saved on the goal line by Sanchez

That's a good save. It was travelling.

We've had so many chances to put this to bed ....

Fofana should buy a lottery ticket this evening.

Caicedo is horrible to play against. Just as likely to play act to get to you sent off as to deliberately leave a foot in to injure you.

Why draw the line for the wall and then just let Chelsea stand wherever they want?

Ødegaard so off the pace today. That last one was very poor.

Was thinking the same

About time, Ode is tiring fast

1-0 to the Arsenal

3 Points !

Full time 1-0

Job done. Much nicer buffer for the top 5 champions league positions. Important win and deserved win. Still not much clicking but we keep going and rely on that defence

Excellent defensive performance. Timber man of the match and Gabriel, Rice, and Saliba also excellent.

We should have won that more comfortably. Chelsea were wide open in the second half and we just couldn't take advantage. The final ball is just not there.

Only 12 points off Pool

Cucurella sums up that despicable club - snide, arrogant, cheating and dishonest - the rolling around and feigning of injury really winds me up.

Huge win - puts such daylight in between us and Chelsea/City. A Chelsea win would have put is in a messy dogfight for top 4 - now realistically 3/4 more wins and we're pretty much guaranteed CL next season.

Although fairly comfortable over all, Chelsea had 59% possession which is probably part of the reason that felt a bit uncomfortable at times. Ødegaard well off, I found Trossard quite frustrating at times too. Martinelli full of running but butchered a few shooting chances. Very little cutting edge. 8 more games of this is going to be tough.

Interlull now, at least they can’t pick Saka and Nwaneri gets an extended rest too.

Lose their games away to Fulham, Chelsea and Brighton, we beat them at Anfield - win all our other games and pip them in goal difference. It’s back on!

The league is so congested for the European places. Such an important win today.
Come the end of the season a big club or a media darling is going to have to face up to some almighty failure.
City, Chelsea, Villa and Newcastle NEED champions league for a variety of financial and squad building reasons.
It probably is just 3-4 more wins. All the teams below us will drop plenty of points - not least because they play each other lots

Newcastle lead the cup final. Deserve it probably. Great header from the set piece and Liverpool haven’t worked out how to deal with Newcastle at the corners. They leave VVD and Konate in the middle but Newcastle are going over them to Dan Burn at the back post - he’s 6ft 7, you have to man make him with one of your stronger players in the air

Yes Rich - the top 4 spots are spot crucial financially - will be fascinating to see the damage done if Chelsea don't make it for example, their finances look utterly reliant on getting CL football.....

It's worth being a bit positive after today, despite all the injuries, we restricted Chelsea to a handful of weak half chances

We can grind out games, which was something we couldn't do under Wenger for several years at the end, and you will never win anything without the defensive solidity to be able to grind out clean sheets

This squad is not far off winning a lot of trophies, I think with the right attacking signings and the right midfield replacements, we will be looking very strong

Draws away at Forest and United, plus a win versus Chelsea - I'd have definitely taken 5 points before these three games, given the injuries

Isak was onside there. Surely that should stand?

No it was the other player offside as keeper needed to dive around him.

I know Newcastle haven’t won a trophy since the dawn of time and that on current form they are underdogs but I can’t quite get behind the fairytale narrative knowing they are being bankrolled by Saudi Arabia.

Yep standing right in front of the gk is always going to get called offside - rightly so

Indeed. But it is fun watch Liverpool come unstuck.

Might want to tell the media that - it’s going to be unbearable. I’d still much rather they won than Liverpool.

At their best this Newcastle team is really good and so hard to play against. They feel like a team that over performs in big games. The midfield 3 is as good as anything in the league. Isak I think is the best striker in the league, for me I think he’s a better all round footballer than Haaland who relies much more on service to him. Haaland is Van nistlerooy to Isak being more like Henry.

Again, I swear Liverpool have been so lucky this season, everything has fallen their way, they are not a strong champion, they’re reliant on Salah and Van Dijk and zero injuries. They look out of gas at the moment. Such a shame we’re not breathing down their necks. Swap the injuries and we’re champions

Newcastle 17 shots
Liverpool 7 shots

That’s embarrassing for Liverpool to be so outgunned in a final they were favourites for.

Sadly they will win the title but they are not a top class champions, they’ve had fewer injuries than any champion in recent times.

Can’t wait for this Liverpool team to be broken up by some stars leaving on a free and others moving on - seems strange to think the champions may need a full rebuild but they might need it.

Luckiest champions since Leicester