**Arsenal:** Raya, Timber, Mosquera, Hincapie, Calafiori, Rice, Zubimendi, Eze, Saka, Martinelli, Merino
**Subs:** Arrizabalaga, Lewis-Skelly, White, Odegaard, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Madueke, Gyokeres, Jesus
Mikel Merino rescued a hard-earned point for Arsenal at Chelsea, although the Gunners will leave Stamford Bridge frustrated not to have taken all three after Moises Caicedo was sent off before half-time.
Chelsea had been well on top when the Ecuadorian went flying into a reckless, late challenge that left Merino in a heap, and VAR rightly advised Anthony Taylor to upgrade the initial yellow to a red.
To then concede almost immediately after the restart, Trevor Chalobah rising unchallenged to nod in from a corner, will have irked Mikel Arteta no end, but his side kept their heads and clawed their way back through Merino’s close-range header on 59 minutes.
The late pressure hinted at a winner, but in truth, both teams fell short of finding the quality needed to settle it. In the end, a point each felt about right.
#### **First Half**
After Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera filled in for Gabriel Magalhaes in the last two games, the pre-match debate centred on which of the pair would keep their place. As it turned out, both were needed from the start after William Saliba picked up a knock in training on Saturday that left him feeling “uncomfortable”, according to Arteta.
If that was a blow, the return to fitness of Viktor Gyokeres and long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus offered a welcome lift. Both were named on a strong bench alongside Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke. With Leandro Trossard sidelined after limping off against Bayern, Gabriel Martinelli also stepped up.
Fireworks greeted the players as they emerged – fitting for a first half that was intense and fractious, even if clear chances were in short supply. Much of the action took place in midfield, where a flurry of skirmishes had referee Anthony Taylor reaching for his cards with increasing frequency.
Inside two minutes, Merino and Saka were both clattered from behind – the latter by Cucurella, who was fortunate to escape an early booking. Caicedo also took the chance to shove Merino to the turf, but it was Arsenal who saw the first yellow when Zubimendi mistimed a challenge on James. Typical.
Neither side reached the opposition box in the opening 10 minutes as both teams felt their way in. When Cucurella went through the back of Saka again, the Arsenal bench erupted. This time Taylor did produce the card.
Arsenal’s first real effort came on 13 minutes: Saka driving a low effort at Sanchez after Eze slid him through. That proved a rare bright spot in a difficult spell, with the Gunners spending the next 20 minutes pinned back. Mosquera went into the book, Rice made a superb recovery tackle on Neto, and Estevao twice fizzed efforts over.
Zubimendi and Rice, usually so composed, struggled to get a grip as loose passes fed Chelsea’s transition. It was uncomfortable viewing. Jurrien Timber had to bail Arsenal out with a perfectly timed intervention to stop Enzo Fernandez running clear. Hincapie had a shaky moment nicked by Pedro, but there was enough cover. Calafiori also picked up a booking.
Then came the big moment. Caicedo, charging around like a bull in a china shop, arrived horribly late on Merino’s ankle, leaving both players rolling in pain. Taylor initially waved play on, but once the ball went dead VAR inevitably became involved. After Caicedo received treatment, Taylor flashed a yellow…only to be sent to the monitor and rightly upgrade it to a red. It was a wild, dangerous challenge that could have caused real damage. Mercifully, Merino was able to continue.
With a man advantage, Arsenal were expected to take control, but there was also a sense of wanting to reach the break without further drama before recalibrating. Hincapie collected another yellow for catching Chalobah with a stray arm, leaving the Chelsea man with a sizeable lump.
Arsenal ended the half with a reminder of their threat on the break – Eze, Martinelli and Rice combining neatly before the Brazilian forced Sanchez into a sharp save.
#### **Second Half**
Arteta clearly felt that three defenders on yellow cards was flirting with disaster, so he hooked Calafiori at the break and sent on Lewis-Skelly.
Within seconds, hearts were in mouths. Hincapie tangled with Pedro straight away, the Chelsea man screaming for a second yellow. Taylor wasn’t having it, but the hosts still earned a free-kick that Pedro met with a glancing header, forcing Raya into a stunning reflex stop. From the resulting corner, Chalobah climbed highest at the near post to nod home. [(GOAL 1–0)](https://streamin.me/v/63iq2b7h)
A brutal start to the half, and suddenly Arsenal had a mountain to climb. There was time to recover, but keeping cool heads was crucial – Lewis-Skelly clattering James and immediately picking up a booking definitely didn’t help.
Maresca then swapped Pedro for Delap, prompting Arteta to roll his own dice by withdrawing Martinelli and Zubimendi and introducing Madueke and Odegaard.
The impact was immediate: Arsenal were level. Odegaard stitched things together with a neat pass to Saka, but what followed was all about the winger’s brilliance. He twisted and teased his way into space in the Chelsea box before delivering a wicked cross that Merino nodded home from close range. A huge goal from the Spaniard. [(GOAL 1–1)](https://streamin.me/v/58e1f578)
That it never really felt like 11 versus 10 was a credit to Chelsea, who still carried a threat whenever they got the ball. Hincapie had to be razor sharp to halt Neto and celebrated the challenge by roaring in his face – Mosquera quickly dragging him away before he caused any unnecessary aggro.
Arsenal probed for another opening but rarely troubled Sanchez. After Saka blazed over, Arteta went back to the bench, sending on Gyokeres for Eze, with Merino dropping deeper into midfield. Rice then picked out Saka with a gorgeous diagonal, but the winger’s first-time attempt at a cross went straight into Sanchez’s gloves.
It was tense and tight. Delap tested Raya from distance. Saka flashed over from a tight angle. Fouls came thick and fast. Madueke and Saka swapped wings, then swapped back. On the break, Neto surged clear and tried an ambitious curler that drifted wide.
With three minutes left, Merino stung Sanchez’s palms, Gyokeres charged in chasing the rebound and clattered the keeper, earning himself a booking that VAR quickly endorsed. The clock kept ticking down. Right at the death, Hincapie looped a teasing cross that Timber took off Gyokeres’ head. When the ball was returned into the area, Merino headed over the bar. And that was that.
Should Arsenal have taken more from the game? Maybe. But at the end of a long week, and far from our best, a point on the road at least keeps the unbeaten run going; the gap to Manchester City in second place is four points.
Attention now turns to Brentford on Wednesday.