Table of Contents
Match Summary
ARSENAL missed the opportunity to widen their lead at the top of the Premier League after a disappointing 1-1 draw against ten-man Chelsea.
The Gunners delivered a subpar performance but gained an advantage when Moises Caicedo received a red card for a reckless challenge on Mikel Merino.
Arsenal missed the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table after drawing with ChelseaCredit: Getty
Mikel Arteta will be disappointed his team couldn’t capitalize against ten menCredit: Getty
However, the Blues shocked their rivals by taking the lead shortly after halftime with a header from Trevoh Chalobah.
Eventually, Arsenal leveled the score when Merino headed in a cross from Bukayo Saka.
Despite this, Arteta's side had to settle for a five-point advantage over Manchester City after failing to penetrate a resilient Chelsea defense.
Here’s how SunSport’s Jack Rosser rated the visitors on a challenging night at a chilly Stamford Bridge.
Player Ratings
David Raya – 6
The Arsenal goalkeeper could do nothing to prevent Trevoh Chalobah’s looping header. Aside from that, he faced little threat, managing a straightforward shot from Enzo Fernandez in the first half.
Jurrien Timber – 6
The Dutchman was tasked with marking Chalobah during Chelsea's corners but allowed the defender to get ahead of him for the opening goal.
Cristhian Mosquera – 5
The Spaniard faced the daunting challenge of filling in for the injured William Saliba and found himself in a tricky situation early on with a reckless challenge on Joao Pedro, resulting in a booking in the 13th minute.
Cristhian Mosquera struggled to maintain Arsenal’s solid defense in William Saliba’s absenceCredit: Getty
Piero Hincapie – 5
He survived a significant scare when he allowed Pedro a one-on-one opportunity, which the Brazilian squandered by misplacing his pass to a teammate. Hincapie also narrowly avoided a VAR check for a questionable elbow towards Chalobah and just about made it through this derby.
Ricardo Calafiori – 6
He effectively contained Chelsea's wonderkid Estevao Willian in the first half but picked up a cheap yellow card while chasing Reece James and was substituted at halftime.
Martin Zubimendi – 6
In a physical contest against the Chelsea midfield, the composed Spaniard did not perform at his usual standards and ended up committing fouls, resulting in a booking. He struggled to assert himself and was substituted before the hour mark.
Declan Rice – 6
In a match that was anticipated as Rice vs Caicedo, the Arsenal player found it difficult to have his usual impact on the game.
During a chaotic midfield battle, Caicedo was in control until his red card in the first half, while Rice struggled to make an impact until he moved to a deeper midfield position after Zubimendi was taken off.
Bukayo Saka – 7
The Gunners' player was a constant threat from the very beginning. The Spaniard quickly received a booking for a foul on Saka.
Saka left Cucurella behind before delivering a precise cross for Merino to score with a header.
Bukayo Saka assisted Mikel Merino’s equalizer in an impressive performance
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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