Chelsea 1–1 Arsenal
by Layth Yousif
at Stamford Bridge
GABI MARTINELLI’S goal on the hour mark was cancelled out by Pedro Neto’s strike ten minutes later, as Arsenal and Chelsea played out an enthralling 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The result means that Arsenal are now without a win in their past five games in all competitions — with both sides nine adrift of the top spot.
When asked after the match what the Gunners need to do to close the gap at the top to leaders Liverpool, Mikel Arteta shot back immediately, saying his team needed to: “Win, win, win, win and win.”
Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice made welcome returns for Arsenal in the crunch London derby, while Enzo Maresca’s side fielded a different side to the team that beat FC Noah 8-0 in the Europa Conference League on Thursday evening — which also included the Blues fit-again talented talisman Cole Palmer.
Stamford Bridge was pumped up on a raw afternoon in west London, following an immaculately observed Last Post on Remembrance Sunday.
After only three minutes Palmer tested David Raya with a rasping shot that the Euro 2024 winner tipped over the bar.
In a raucous atmosphere in SW6 generated by both sets of fans, Odegaard’s silky skills and superb touches in tight spaces in the heat of battle were a tonic for Arteta’s side, even if the Norwegian received a juddering “welcome” from Moises Caicedo who thudded into the 25-year-old in the opening stages.
Shortly afterwards Bukayo Saka, who was engaged in an absorbing duel with Euro 2024 final foe Marc Cucurella, was clattered by England teammate Levi Colwill, leaving referee Michael Oliver no option but to hand award a yellow card.
On 24 minutes Chelsea should have scored, when Neto whipped in an excellent cross after Ben White afforded the No7 a tad too much space.
On the receiving end was Malo Gusto, who got to the ball before Martinelli, and should have headed past Raya, but the right-back nodded the ball over the bar when well-placed.
Martinelli had a shot blocked by Blues keeper Robert Sanchez as the Gunners swept upfield. Shortly afterwards, Arsenal had the ball in the net, but Havertz’s effort was ruled out for offside, much to the delight of the relieved home crowd, who gleefully savoured the manic celebrations in the away end being curtailed by VAR.
It was White’s turn to enter the book when tangling with Neto off the ball, prior to Odegaard also earning a yellow for felling Caicedo, as the sides went into the break goalless.
Following a succession of fouls against Arsenal including a dangerous shove by Caicedo on Jurrien Timber that saw the tough Dutch defender nearly fly into the stands, Gunners fans loudly sang: “Michael Oliver/It’s All About You,” at his perceived failure to punish miscreants.
As the thermometer dropped, the temperature rose on the pitch, as a rousing second half saw Martinelli put the visitors 1-0 ahead on the hour mark, following an assist from who else but Odegaard, underling just how much the Gunners have missed such a creative talent.
Cue pandemonium in front of the away end, as the 3,000 travelling Gooners celebrated wildly.
However, the celebrations had barely died down when Chelsea equalised through Neto, who drilled an excellent low effort past Raya to make the score 1-1 with 20 minutes remaining, for his first Premier League goal.
As the clock ticked down, substitute Leandro Trossard fired over when well-placed, as Arsenal forwards yet again showed a lack of composure.
The former Brighton attacker spurning a chance that he really should have taken. The last-gasp chance came following Sanchez saving from Mikel Merino’s flick, in a miss that floored Arteta, quite literally, as the Gunners boss went to ground in frustration in front of the technical area.
Trossard’s fluffed chance ensured the scoreline ended honours even after a pulsating clash that did no favours to either side in the wider scheme of things regarding the chase for the Premier League title.
