Chelsea and Arsenal played out a tense 1-1 match at Stamford Bridge, with the home side defending bravely after going down to ten men.
Gatekeepers News reports that Arsenal started slowly, and Chelsea created the early chances. Estevao Willian twice found himself in good positions but failed to finish. Bukayo Saka threatened for Arsenal at the other end, but his efforts did not trouble the Chelsea goalkeeper.
The major incident came late in the first half when Moises Caicedo went in for a tackle that caught Mikel Merino on the shin. The referee checked the challenge on VAR, and the Chelsea midfielder was shown a straight red card for dangerous play. The decision raised tempers on the pitch, and the match became even more intense from that point.
Even with a man down, Chelsea shocked the visitors by taking the lead early in the second half. Trevoh Chalobah reacted quickly to a Reece James delivery, flicking a smart header into the net. Stamford Bridge erupted, and Chelsea pushed for a second despite their disadvantage.
Arsenal pulled level shortly before the hour mark. Saka sent in a fine cross, and Merino — playing as a temporary striker due to injuries in the squad — guided his header past the goalkeeper. The equaliser lifted Arsenal, who dominated possession for long periods afterwards.
Chelsea, however, created the clearer chances late in the game. Pedro Neto came close with a low effort, Liam Delap tested the keeper, and Wesley Fofana also threatened from a set piece.
Arsenal held on strong as Chelsea pushed forward, and the draw allowed the Gunners to stretch their unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge to seven visits. They also extended their overall unbeaten run in all competitions to seventeen matches.
The point keeps Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, maintaining a five-point gap over Manchester City, while Chelsea remains mid-table.
Meanwhile, Liverpool returned to winning form with a 2-0 victory over West Ham United. Alexander Isak scored his first league goal for the club, while Cody Gakpo added the second. Manchester United also came from behind to beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, with Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount both hitting the back of the net.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ poor season continued after a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa. Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare came on in the 88th minute, but Wolves could not find a response and remain bottom of the standings after thirteen winless weeks. Brighton also secured a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest to round off the weekend fixtures.
