Chelsea and Arsenal played out a tense 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, leaving both London clubs level in the Premier League but still nine points behind league leaders Liverpool.
The match was closely contested, with both teams having almost equal possession and three shots on target each. It was Arsenal who appeared the more frustrated side at full time, with manager Mikel Arteta holding his head in disbelief after substitute Leandro Trossard squandered two late chances.
The Gunners took the lead in the 60th minute through Gabriel Martinelli, who finished off a perfectly chipped pass from captain Martin degaard. degaard’s return from injury was a key factor, with his playmaking ability helping Arsenal break their goal drought after failing to score in their last two matches.
Chelsea responded quickly, equalising just ten minutes later. Substitute Enzo Fernández played a ball into the path of Pedro Neto just outside the Arsenal box. Neto made space for himself before firing a low shot past goalkeeper David Raya’s left side to make it 1-1.
“We came to win, so we’re not as happy as we wanted to be, but we didn’t want to lose, and it’s a good point against a good team,” Neto told Sky Sports after the match.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer nearly gave the Blues an early lead in the third minute, but his powerful shot was tipped over the bar by Raya. Arsenal thought they had gone ahead in the 32nd minute when former Chelsea forward Kai Havertz found the net from a quick free-kick, but VAR ruled Havertz offside by a fraction.
Chelsea also wasted chances in the second half, with Levi Colwill’s shot going just over and Noni Madueke firing high and wide. As the match wore on, it was Arsenal who pressed for a winner. Sánchez denied Mikel Marino, while Trossard fired over from close range. In stoppage time, Trossard missed a golden opportunity when William Saliba’s cross left him with an open goal, but he failed to connect.
The draw saw Chelsea rise to third, while Arsenal, winless in their last four league games, moved to fourth, both on 19 points.
