Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal
by Layth Yousif 
at Stamford Bridge

MIKEL MERINO’S equaliser cancelled out Trevor Chalobah’s opener for 10-man Chelsea, as Arsenal picked up a hard-earned point at Stamford Bridge.

It was honours even in an absorbingly feisty 1-1 draw in the London derby between table toppers Arsenal, and high-flying Chelsea in west London on Sunday.

Moises Caicedo was sent off for a straight red card after an awful challenge on Merino before half time — Chelsea’s sixth of the season in all competitions — prior to Chalobah putting the Blues 1-0 ahead 180 seconds after the break, before the redoubtable Merino levelled 11 minutes later.

William Saliba was missing from the Arsenal backline after a knock in training, so Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie started as the pair of centre-backs in Gabriel’s continuing absence — leading to only the second line-up in 162 matches without either of the Gunners first choice central defenders.

Club captain Martin Odegaard was substitute once again, with north London Derby hat-trick hero Eberechie Eze preferred after the Norwegian returned to the squad for the statement victory over Bayern Munich. Strikers Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus were also replacements, the latter after nearly 12 months out with an ACL injury.

Riccardo Calafiori replaced Miles Lewis-Skelly, while Gabi Martinelli was drafted in for Leo Trossard who limped off during the 3-1 win over the Bundesliga leaders last Wednesday.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca opted for Estevao to keep his place, after the Blues talented Brazil teenager was the hero during their 3-0 Champions League win over Barcelona in midweek. While fit again Cole Palmer was on the bench for the home side in the crunch capital clash, meaning Maresca made a single change from the comprehensive triumph over Barca, with Joao Pedro replacing Alejandro Garnacho.

In a crackling atmosphere, on 12 minutes Bukayo Saka had a shot saved by Robert Sanchez at the near post.

From Chelsea’s break upfield, Mosquera was booked for hauling down Pedro. Referee Anthony Taylor making it three bookings in the heated opening stages, as the Gunners centre-back joined colleague Martin Zubimendi, as well Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella in the book. Calafiori added to the miscreants’ list shortly afterwards, with the card-happy Taylor booking the Italian defender for felling Reece James before the half-hour mark.

Young prodigy Estevao should perhaps have shown more composure when firing over when well-placed on 17 minutes, after the ball fell nicely to the Brazilian attacker.

The South American repeated his wayward effort moments later when driving at the back-pedalling Arsenal defence prior to a drive that flew high and over.

Estevao then tested David Raya as the Gunners keeper gathered well, following a spell of Chelsea pressure around the half-hour mark

As the thermometer dropped to a meagre 5°C on the final day of November, on-field temperatures rose still further, as tempers frayed.

There was drama on 38 minutes, when VAR sent referee Taylor to the monitor to think again, before the official upgraded his initial award of a yellow, to a straight red card for Chelsea’s Caicedo, after a shocking challenge on Arsenal’s Merino that could have broken his ankle.

Official Taylor informed the crowd: “After review, Chelsea 25 makes a challenge with excessive force and therefore my final decision is red card.”

With five minutes added time announced, Martinelli tested Sanchez with a low shot that the Chelsea keeper parried low to his right.

Myles Lewis Skelly replaced Calafiori at the break, before Raya had to be alert to palm away Joao Pedro’s effort moments after the restart.

However, from the impressive James’s resulting corner — after Chelsea’s captain was moved into midfield following Caicedo’s expulsion — Chalobah put the home side ahead three minutes after the interval. The goal coming after the 26-year-old flicked on his captain’s near post set piece, to put the home side 1-0 ahead as Stamford Bridge erupted.

Timber became the fifth Arsenal player to be booked shortly afterwards, when making contact with James as Chelsea aimed to break.

Former Blue Noni Madueke entered the field to jeers from fans who previously cheered him, while Odegaard replaced Zubimendi just before the hour mark.

That was before Merino equalised in front of the travelling Gooners, heading home from Saka’s cross to make the scoreline 1-1 — promoting manic celebrations in the away end at Stamford Bridge on 59 minutes.

With 19 minutes remaining Saka fired over the bar, prior to the Gunners’ fit again striker Gyokeres replacing Eze. As the clock ticked down and both sides opened up, Neto curled his shot narrowly wide on 85 minutes.

As Arsenal drove forward Gyokeres looking for a winner, the former Sporting Lisbon striker went in on Sanchez with a full-blooded challenge, after the Blues keeper parried Merino’s initial shot. With Chelsea’s keeper writhing around on the floor, Gyokers was booked, to make it six Gunners players receiving cautions, as a truculent clash ended all square moments later.

Speaking after the game, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta reflected on an overwhelmingly satisfyingly seven days, saying: “It’s been a really positive week, because the difficulty was immense,” in light of the Gunners impressive victories over Spurs and Bayern, adding: “But I have this feeling today we should have, and could have, won the game, and we haven’t.

“That’s a learning point for me.”

Naturally, Arteta’s Chelsea counterpart Maresca, took a different point of view.

“We were better than them,” insisted the Blues boss. “We managed the game, we controlled the game, we created chances, and we didn’t concede anything.

“Then the red card changed a little bit the dynamic, but even with that, I think the way the players dealt with that was outstanding.”