Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea
by Layth Yousif
at Ashburton Grove
‘A PROPER London derby’ was how Mikel Arteta described Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Chelsea on Sunday.
The Gunners trademark set-piece expertise helped Arteta’s Premier League title chasers to a tense triumph over 10-man Chelsea at Ashburton Grove on Sunday.
Jurrien Timber and William Saliba scored from corners to seal a vital victory, while disciplinary issues continued to dog Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior after Pedro Neto was sent off for Chelsea, making the 25-year-old Portuguese forward the ninth player to be sent off in all competitions for the Blues this term.
In a compelling London derby Saliba scored his first goal of the season after 21 minutes, to set the Gunners on their way to secure a much-needed triumph for Arteta’s Premier League table toppers. The opener to go 1-0 up from a corner was the ninth such occurrence for the home side this campaign.
Despite Arteta insisting after the match that he thought “the margin and the scoreline should have been bigger,” the Blues levelled shortly before half-time through an own goal by Piero Hincapie, who inadvertently nodded into his own net from Reece James’ cross into a crowded box.
As the visiting fans crowed, while reminding the home support of Chelsea past glories - triumphs that seem a long way away from where Rosenior’s side are right now - Timber headed Declan Rice’s corner past the shaky Roberto Sanchez in the Chelsea goal to make it 2-1 on 66 minutes. The winner was Arsenal’s 16th from a corner this season. Not that Gooners anywhere on the planet will care a jot where the goal came from.
However, the visitors’ indiscipline undermined Rosenior’s hopes of a second equaliser four minutes later, when Neto received a second yellow card in quick succession after a reckless challenge on substitute Gabi Martinelli.
‘We conceded two goals from set-plays, which has ultimately cost us the game, and it’s really disappointing to have another red card,” reflected Rosenior, who has now lost to Arsenal three times in his short managerial career in the Chelsea hotseat, before adding that the red card was “disappointing for Pedro because he’s a very, very good player and you want him on the pitch.”
Rosenior went on to say damningly: “As a group, and me as the leader, we must take more accountability for some of the decision-making in terms of our discipline. And the goals that we’re conceding, not just today, some of them are not acceptable at this level.”
As the clock ticked down David Raya kept out Alejandro Garnacho’s cross intended for Joao Pedro, as the Arsenal keeper made a superb save, diving full length to ensure Arteta’s side moved five points clear of second place Manchester City, albeit with Pep Guardiola’s chasers having a game in hand.
No wonder a relieved looking Arteta said after the match: “The margins are very, very small, and the duels at the end decide these kinds of games.”
Pretty it was not. But at this stage of the season, and after 22 long years waiting for a league title all that matters is getting over the line.
The rest is just noise.