Chelsea's Reece James (left) and Trevoh Chalobah on the pitch after the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, London _(Image: John Walton)_
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If ever a team achieved a moral victory by way of a draw it was the Blues, last weekend, against Arsenal, writes Tim Harrison.
Though the score finished 1-1, this most entertaining of London derbies saw the 10 men of Chelsea (following Moises Caicedo’s sending-off after 36 minutes) not only contain the Gunners, but eclipse them in darn near every department.
Indeed the team with the fewer players not only looked more dangerous throughout, but even took the lead a couple of minutes into the second half, thanks to a curling corner from captain Reece James and a header from lofty Trevoh Chalobah.
Yes, OK, Arsenal equalised at around the hour mark through Mikel Merino, but the Blues proved the more resourceful, the more purposeful and the more competitive.
Chelsea went into the match like a bunch of playground bullies; snarling, battling and bolshy as the table-toppers nursed bruises and voiced multiple complaints to ref Anthony Taylor.
But the Blues mirrored those appeals, making their own noisy pleas for reason to the man in black.
A draw was no mean achievement, and the Gunners will now be wondering just how secure their tenure is as Premier League leaders if a young team with 10 men can not only tame them, but – for long spells – boss them.
It all augers well for the Blues who, after their midweek trip to Leeds, travel down to Bournemouth in a dizzying run of fixtures that extends to a Champions League jaunt to Italy next week, followed by the visit of Everton to the Bridge 12 days before you-know-what.
Indeed, the week before Christmas itself, Chelsea visit Cardiff in the League Cup, then Newcastle in the league.
It’s all go, and there’s such a boisterous buzz in SW6 at the moment that all things look possible.
With or without a full complement of players on the pitch.