London, 2 March 2026 (dpa/MIA) - Arsenal passed a major examination of their Premier League title credentials after Jurrien Timber and William Saliba both scored from corners in a 2-1 win over 10-man Chelsea on Sunday.

A week after they thumped Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal recorded another pivotal triumph to restore their five-point advantage over Manchester City, albeit having played a game more.

Saliba sent the hosts on their way midway through the first half when he converted Bukayo Saka’s corner, only for Piero Hincapie to put through his own net in first-half stoppage time.

Chelsea’s equaliser, which also arrived from a corner, rocked the Gunners, but they were back ahead after 66 minutes when Timber headed home Declan Rice’s inswinger.

Pedro Neto received a yellow card for complaining about Timber’s goal and then landed a second booking just minutes later after he scythed down Gabriel Martinelli. It resulted in Chelsea’s seventh red card in the league this season and their second in as many matches.

Arsenal might have been expected to cruise to the full-time whistle, but David Raya produced a brilliant diving save from Alejandro Garnacho’s curling effort and Liam Delap had an effort chalked off for offside – both in added time – as the Gunners took a significant stride to capturing their first title in 22 years.

With just nine games to go, Arsenal will play only one fixture against a side currently in the top six – next month’s mouth-watering trip to Pep Guardiola’s City.

Elsewhere, Benjamin Sesko was Manchester United’s matchwinner once again as they came from behind to beat 10-man Crystal Palace 2-1 and strengthen their push for a return to the Champions League.

Sesko, handed his first start under Michael Carrick after becoming something of a super-sub, put United in front with a bullet header in the 65th minute to make it six goals in his last seven appearances, his second winning goal of the week.

His goal came just eight minutes after Bruno Fernandes levelled from the penalty spot, with Maxence Lacroix sent off after a long VAR check for pulling back Matheus Cunha.

Lacroix went from hero to villain having been the man to have given Palace a fourth-minute lead.

Carrick got a sixth win in seven since he took over, lifting United up to third place after Aston Villa’s surprise defeat to Wolves on Friday night.

Tottenham’s relegation fears increased after a 2-1 loss at Fulham consigned them to a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat.

Spurs lost for a second time under interim head coach Igor Tudor, as Harry Wilson scored for a 10th time this season in the seventh minute and Fulham doubled their advantage in the 34th minute when ex-Arsenal midfielder Alex Iwobi fired in from range.

Spurs substitute Richarlison pulled one back after 65 minutes, but a late rally could not stop the club’s winless run in the Premier League extending to a record-equalling 10th match with the 16th-placed outfit still only four points above the bottom three.

Evergreen Danny Welbeck felled Nottingham Forest with his 10th Premier League goal of the season firing Brighton & Hove Albion to a 2-1 victory.

Welbeck’s winner kept Forest firmly in the relegation dogfight after Morgan Gibbs-White had cancelled out Diego Gomez’s early opener for the Seagulls.

Photo: EPA