Arsenal stayed top of the Premier League on Sunday after a fiery 1-1 draw with 10-man Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo was sent off late in the first half for a rough tackle on Mikel Merino. His dismissal came after a VAR review upgraded the initial yellow card.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, Chelsea took the lead early in the second half when Trevoh Chalobah headed in a corner from Reece James in the 48th minute.
Arsenal hit back soon after. Bukayo Saka dribbled past Marc Cucurella and sent in a cross that Merino powered into the net with a close-range header in the 59th minute. The goal was Merino’s fourth of the season, as he continues to fill in as a striker under Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was kept busy early on, with Enzo Fernandez forcing a save as Chelsea pressed before the red card. Estevao Willian, who impressed in Chelsea’s Champions League win over Barcelona, missed a clear chance from 10 yards.
The first half saw several strong tackles. Martin Zubimendi dragged down Reece James, Cucurella clattered into Saka, Christhian Mosquera fouled Joao Pedro, and Riccardo Calafiori pulled back James. The tension on the pitch grew as both sides fought to take control.
Chelsea argued for another red card when Piero Hincapie elbowed Chalobah, but play continued after the referee issued no further punishment.
Arsenal almost went ahead before the break when Gabriel Martinelli forced a sharp save from Robert Sanchez. Saka and Merino also saw late chances denied by Sanchez in a frantic finish.
Arsenal remain five points ahead of Manchester City and six clear of Chelsea after the draw. Both clubs came into the match on strong European form, with Chelsea beating Barcelona 3-0 and Arsenal defeating Bayern Munich 3-1 earlier in the week.
The result extends Arsenal’s unbeaten run to 17 matches in all competitions. Chelsea are now seven games unbeaten as they continue to push up the table.
