In the Premier League's blockbuster clash of the weekend, Stamford Bridge played host to Arsenal's visit to Chelsea. Full of moments from the start, Enzo Maresca's men were largely on top, but that was threatened to change when Moises Caicedo was sent off for his forceful challenge against Mikel Merino ten minutes shy of the half-time interval. The match in west London finished 1-1, but there were three Chelsea players who put in performances deserving of all three points.
Despite being reduced to ten men after Caicedo picked up the Blues' sixth sending off of the campaign, Maresca's side put in a performance to be proud of. After a rather dominant first half for the home outfit, unlikely goalscorer Trevoh Chalobah opened proceedings in the 48th minute after timing his leap to perfection and glanced his header beyond David Raya just after the break.
Arsenal's makeshift centre-forward, Mikel Merino, then levelled the scoring one minute shy of the hour mark. Bukayo Saka picked up the ball and delivered a teasing cross which was met – and subsequently turned in – by the Spaniard as he rose highest in the Chelsea box. The spoils may have been shared, but Chelsea were clearly the better side on the evening, and three players put in performances that would have caught the eye of Maresca and his entourage.
Three Chelsea Players Stood Out Above the Rest vs Arsenal - Reece James Included
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A shadow of the team who picked up a resounding win over Bayern Munich mid-week, boss Arteta will need to return to the drawing board between now and their impending league fixture against Brentford. Maresca will, however, be more than pleased with his side's performance on home soil – especially given the numerical advantage due to Caicedo's moment of madness.
Sent off just once in his career before, an early bath for Caicedo – widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world – meant that Chelsea were up against it. Three players, in the face of adversity, stepped up to the plate.
Up stepped Reece James (a right-back by trade) in the middle of the park and he, in the absence of Caicedo, kept the likes of Declan Rice quiet. Experienced in all phases of play, the Englishman has proven himself to be the rightful captain of the Blues and any questions over his leadership qualities have now been squashed. There are not enough superlatives to describe him.
James, who has performed at an otherwordly level since the start of 2025/26, was doubtlessly the best player on the pitch – and the fact he walked away with just one point is ever so unfortunate. In truth, the same can be said for Chalobah. The English centre-half has not always been high up the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, but he is currently performing at a brilliant peak.
Especially with Levi Colwill out of action with an injury, it would be difficult to pinpoint a more important defender for Chelsea as they mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title.
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His intelligent goal aside, the 26-year-old has asserted himself as indispensable at the moment. Terrific in both boxes, as evidenced by his glancing header in the second half, the partnership he has struck with Wesley Fofana has been a cornerstone of their recent success under Maresca – and, at the moment, he's simply undroppable.
Robert Sanchez – who made three saves to keep the Premier League table toppers at bay – was also an imperious figure as ten-men Chelsea picked up an important point. Proactive in coming out to claim Arsenal crosses, Sanchez has silenced any critics given how many goalkeepers Chelsea have waiting in the wings. The fans were also very complimentary of the Spaniard.
Chelsea Fans Laud Sanchez's Goalkeeping Display
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James being one of the best defenders on the planet is nothing new and Chalobah, throughout his tenure at Stamford Bridge, has shown glimpses of being an excellent centre-back – but Sanchez has seldom shown that he is capable of being the club's go-to option between the sticks. But could his performance against Arsenal be a changing of the guard? Chelsea fans may think so.
"Robert Sanchez... incredible," one simply said on X (formerly Twitter) as another added: "Robert Sanchez this season is a totally different player. Passing's good, claims most crosses and such a good shot stopper. Big performance." Another listed off all the good things he produced against the Gunners by writing:
"Robert Sanchez has been immaculate so far. Distribution under pressure with little margin for error has been crucial. An excellent save to go with it to keep it level."
Revisiting how imperious the Spanish stopper has been since their curtain-raiser in August, a final fan added: "Respect to Robert Sanchez, he's been nothing short of solid this season." Sanchez, 28, has started all 13 Premier League matches for Maresca's men this season and has kept seven clean sheets. It's now his role to lose after his masterclass against Arsenal.