Arsenal came from a goal down to beat Chelsea 2-1 in a Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, maintaining their perfect start to the new campaign and ending their London rivals’ unbeaten run.
Morgan Rogers put Chelsea ahead after just 77 seconds, but the champions responded emphatically. Kai Havertz equalised against his former club midway through the first half before Martin Odegaard struck soon after the interval to complete Arsenal’s comeback.
The victory was a statement of intent from second-placed Arsenal, who have won all three of their league matches and sit behind leaders Manchester City on goals scored.
Mikel Arteta’s side showed the resilience and ruthlessness that has made them firm favourites to retain the title, underlining their ambition to secure back-to-back league championships for the first time since the 1930s.
For Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso, the defeat brought an end to his three-game winning run in all competitions since taking charge at Stamford Bridge in the close season.
Alonso will know there is still plenty of work to do before Chelsea can realistically challenge for a first Premier League title since 2017. Their defence remains vulnerable to costly errors, while their usually potent attack struggled to find the fluency it had shown in victories over Fulham, Luton and Brighton.
Arteta and Alonso have known each other since childhood, when they played together in the Basque region of Spain. The chaotic football of their youth on a gravel pitch in San Sebastian’s Berio district would have seemed tame compared with the intensity of Sunday’s pulsating encounter in north London.
Rogers strikes early
Chelsea had beaten Arsenal in the race to sign Rogers from Aston Villa during the close season after the Gunners refused to match the Blues’ £117 million ($158 million) bid for the England midfielder.
Rogers immediately showed why Chelsea had made him the most expensive British player in history, firing them in front after just 77 seconds.
Arsenal had conceded only one shot on target across their opening two league matches, but their usually dependable defence was caught out from a set-piece.
Reece James floated a free-kick into the area that Declan Rice and Odegaard both failed to clear. Rogers reacted quickest, drilling a low volley from the edge of the box beyond David Raya to give Chelsea an early lead.
It was the first goal Arsenal had conceded this season.
Chelsea, meanwhile, had already shipped five goals in their opening two league games under Alonso, and their three-man central defence again looked vulnerable in the 25th minute.
Havertz was allowed to move from the right flank towards the edge of the penalty area without being tracked by Jorrel Hato. The German then fired a low shot through Maxence Lacroix’s legs and past Emiliano Martinez at his near post.
Martinez had been signed from Aston Villa to replace the error-prone Robert Sanchez, but his weak attempt to keep out Havertz’s effort offered little reassurance.
Chelsea almost regained the lead before half-time when Pedro Neto’s effort from the right struck the far post.
Arsenal turn the screw
While Chelsea failed to make their chances count, Arsenal displayed the clinical edge that has characterised their recent rise.
They completed the turnaround five minutes after half-time with a superbly constructed move.
Christos Tzolis, who has made an impressive start since joining from Club Brugge, produced an incisive pass that split the Chelsea defence and found Havertz.
The Germany international cleverly allowed the ball to run on, deceiving the defenders and leaving Odegaard with a clear sight of goal. The Arsenal captain kept his composure to slot home from 10 yards and put the hosts ahead.
Rogers’ angry confrontation with Rice later prompted Arsenal supporters to mock him with chants of, “You should have signed for a big club.”
Chelsea had opportunities to respond, but they failed to capitalise. Malo Gusto fired over from a promising position, while Estevao Willian saw a powerful effort tipped over by Raya in the closing minutes.
Arsenal held firm to secure a comeback victory that sends an early warning to their title rivals, while Chelsea were left to reflect on a defeat that exposed the gap between their ambitions and their current level.
AFP
