A highly anticipated London derby between Chelsea and league leaders Arsenal ended in a 1-1 stalemate, with Mikel Merino's header cancelling out Trevoh Chalobah's set piece opener.
There was very little to separate the two teams, but the Blues will be commended for holding their composure against a top team after being reduced to ten men in the first half.
Mikel Arteta's side remain top of the table, but miss the opportunity to extend their lead to nine points.
Here are four things Chelsea learned from the draw:
Yet another red card
The main talking point from the derby was the sending off - Moises Caicedo heading down the tunnel after catching the ankle of Mikel Merino.
In such an anticipated and important fixture such as this one, fans would prefer to watch eleven against eleven for the full game - but there will have been little complaint from Blues fans after Caicedo’s initial booking was upgraded to a red card.
The midfielder had begun the game notably fired-up: quick to every loose ball and showing a high level of aggressiveness in the tackle. Ultimately, he was not able to shake off this energy, and did not protest referee Anthony Taylor’s decision after an on field VAR check was required.
This is the first red card of Caicedo’s career, and is a major blow for Chelsea - who will be without the Ecuadorian for the next three games. Defensive midfielder Dario Essugo was not on the bench for this match, but is back in full team training and could serve as a replacement in the meantime.
Standout performance by James
Losing Moises Caicedo should have put a major dent in Chelsea’s structure and performance; he has been one of the club’s standout performers this year.
Miraculously, they kept their dominance in the game, thanks to their skipper, Reece James.
Defensively, he was a fantastic fill-in for Caicedo, winning his midfield duels and often dropping deeper into the back line whenever necessary.
With Enzo Fernandez positioned higher up the pitch, James had his work cut out, but was adept at linking play and maintaining possession under intense pressure by Arsenal.
His delivery to Trevoh Chalobah at the near post for the opener was inch perfect - and most importantly, he encouraged the home support at every opportunity, keeping the atmosphere positive and maintaining his team’s motivation.
Enzo Maresca has hinted several times at limiting James’ gametime to preserve his fitness and form, and this method seems to be working well so far - especially given how crucial he has been to the team’s successes.
Maresca composed under pressure
Chelsea are no strangers to red cards this season - they’ve picked up seven so far - and part of **Enzo Maresca**’s work has therefore been planning around this scenario.
On several occasions the Italian has opted for defensive stability - but this comes with a cost, as several attacking players are often sacrificed, leaving the Blues with limited forward options.
However, on this occasion Maresca opted to hold back, trusting the players on the pitch to maintain their level of performance. In the end, this proved to be a smart move; Liam Delap and Alejandro Garnacho were the only changes to the Chelsea lineup, with both introduced early in the second half.
Cole Palmer was fit enough to make the bench for this game, and many fans were anticipating a late substitution for the midfielder alongside a defensive switch, but this was not necessary.
With another midweek fixture looming, the ability to rest several players will be vital for Chelsea, and this decision could prove to be a masterstroke by Maresca as he aims to carry on this period of positive results.
Blues justify their league position
The biggest question mark around this Chelsea team has been their ability to dominate against tougher opposition - as their league run so far has been relatively easy compared to other teams.
They are yet to play Aston Villa or Manchester City, who border the Blues in the current table, whilst their biggest defeat so far has come against fifth placed Brighton and Hove Albion, who were 3-1 victors at the Bridge in September.
Today’s match was a huge test for Enzo Maresca and his staff, as well as an opportunity to demonstrate their work and development with this squad of players. The fact that Chelsea were able to leave with a point is incredibly positive - even without their best defensive player on the pitch.
Improvement has been notable - defensive duo Robert Sanchez and Trevoh Chalobah have both been subject to criticism and frustration from fans this season, but both put in top-class performances from start to finish - Sanchez in particular making two vital saves to keep the score level.
Chelsea will want to keep up the positive energy as they look to hold their position in the table.