Timber header earns Arsenal crucial win over Chelsea

LONDON: Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League ?title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.
Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal ?took three precious points but it was an afternoon of nerves in north London.
It was far from pretty but Mikel Arteta’s side, and the fans who squirmed through the closing minutes, will not care about that as a first title since 2004 edged a little closer.
Arsenal moved to 64 points from 29 games with sole chasers Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.
Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.
But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for ?the hosts until ?Timber came to their rescue.
Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under ?new ?manager ?Liam Rosenior ?was ?halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.
Arsenal fans will hope that the remaining nine games of the Premier League run-in are less fraught than this one.