Arsenal lost more ground in the Premier League title race after a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Gabriel Martinelli put Arsenal ahead with a well-taken strike in the second half, only for Pedro Neto to equalize minutes later with a long-range effort.
Mikel Arteta made two changes to his lineup after the midweek defeat to Inter Milan, reintroducing Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in place of Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard. Chelsea started strong, with Cole Palmer’s early effort forcing David Raya into a sharp save.
Though Arsenal eventually settled, Chelsea created further danger, notably when Palmer fed Pedro Neto, whose cross found Noni Madueke, who headed wide.
Chelsea had another chance soon after when Neto’s cross to the back post set up Malo Gusto, who headed over under pressure from Martinelli. Arsenal responded as Bukayo Saka’s initial shot was blocked, allowing Martinelli a shot that Robert Sanchez parried.
The game heated up as Kai Havertz nearly gave Arsenal the lead, finishing smartly from a Rice pass, only to see the goal ruled out for offside by VAR. At halftime, Chelsea had arguably edged it on chances, though Arsenal had gained a foothold.
In the second half, Arsenal broke the deadlock as Odegaard’s pinpoint pass found Martinelli unmarked, and he finished clinically at the near post to make it 1-0. The goal energized Arsenal, and Jurrien Timber came close to doubling the lead with a solo run that ended in a shot just wide.
However, Arsenal’s lead didn’t last. Neto found space and fired a powerful shot from 25 yards to level the score at 1-1, with Arsenal’s defensive positioning coming into question as Rice and Partey were unable to close him down in time.
With 20 minutes left, Arteta brought on Merino and Trossard for Rice and Martinelli. Merino nearly made an instant impact, narrowly missing a Saka cross and setting up Havertz, who couldn’t connect. Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella then forced Saka off with a heavy challenge, and Gabriel Jesus came on in his place.
The game became increasingly end-to-end, with Arsenal creating a few more opportunities. Jesus crossed to Merino, who missed his connection, and Trossard blasted over from close range. Deep in injury time, it seemed Arsenal might snatch the win when Saliba’s cross found Trossard, but he couldn’t convert with Havertz poised behind him.
With the draw, Arsenal are now nine points behind leaders Liverpool after 11 games. Their defensive lapse after taking the lead proved costly, and while there’s still time to turn things around, the title seems increasingly out of reach. As the team heads into the international break, they’ll aim to regroup and prepare for Nottingham Forest on November 23rd.
