Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal: Gunners level with 10-man Blues as Chalobah & Merino score

Chelsea held on for a 1-1 draw against Premier League leaders Arsenal despite Moises Caicedo's first-half red card in a fiery London derby at Stamford Bridge.

Match Report

Arsenal went into Sunday's derby aiming to move seven points clear at the summit, but they had to settle for a share of the spoils despite playing the majority of the contest with a numerical advantage.

After a frantic opening 30 minutes in which Bukayo Saka tested Robert Sanchez and Enzo Fernandez looked dangerous at the other end, Caicedo saw red not long before half-time.

Caicedo snapped in on Mikel Merino, but his studs were up and his challenge was late. After a VAR review, referee Anthony Taylor upgraded his initial yellow card to a red.

Yet Chelsea started the second half brilliantly, with Trevoh Chalobah heading home from Reece James' excellent corner in the 48th minute.

Arsenal restored parity 11 minutes later, though, with Saka getting the better of Marc Cucurella before crossing in for Merino, who headed in from close range. Seven of the Spain international's 10 Premier League goals have now come with his head.

Sanchez made a diving stop to deny Merino a second, and prevent Arsenal from taking all three points, in the 88th minute, as Chelsea held firm for a result that proves they are certainly able to compete with the title favourites.

Data Debrief: Chelsea show their grit 

For only the second time since the start of the 2022-23 season, Arsenal started a Premier League game without either of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, and though David Raya was not tested early on, the Gunners' defence did seem shaky, with Fernandez and Estevao looking sharp for the hosts.

But Caicedo became the seventh Chelsea player to receive a red card against Arsenal in the Premier League, and the first since David Luiz in September 2017, and that made the Blues' task even harder.

Yet Chelsea, who have now drawn three straight home games against the Gunners, can take plenty of pride from their defensive work. Arsenal managed just eight shots, which was their fewest in a Premier League game since October 2024 at Bournemouth (six).

Indeed, the Gunners failed to win a Premier League game in which their opponents received a first-half red card for the first time since August 2010 against Liverpool, a 1-1 draw with Joe Cole sent off for the Reds.   

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

3' Saka thinks he's won a corner off Neto but the referee says no

5' Yellow Card! Reece James goes past Zubimendi, who brings him down and booked

11' Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella is booked for chopping down Bukayo Saka

12' Saka fires in an effort from 12 yards out, saved by the feet of Robert Sanchez

12' A third booking of the game already as Mosquera stops Pedro's counter-attack

15' Neto is denied a shooting chance by a sliding challenge from Rice

18' Mosquera doesn't clear Pedro's cross and Estevao's shot over the bar

27' James bursts past Calafiori and the Arsenal defender pulls him back and booked

29' Joao Pedro overhits a simple pass which costs the Blues a chance

31' Enzo's shot from outside the box following Estevao's cutback is straight at Raya

33' Marc Cucurella fouls Bukayo Saka but avoids a second booking

38' Red Card! Moisés Caicedo sent off as he catches Mikel Merino with a tackle

40' Piero Hincapie catches Trevoh Chalobah in the face and gets booked

43' Trevoh Chalobah shows the referee a lump under his eye

46' Martinelli hammers in a low shot from 20 yards which is saved

48' GOAL! Chalobah heads home from corner to open the scoring! Chelsea 1-0 Arsenal

48' A couple of crosses go astray & Saka holds off Cucurella well near his own goal

50' Mosquera goes down holding his face after Enzo Fernandez gave him a shove

54' Another Arsenal yellow card as Lewis-Skelly bundles over James to stop a counter

54' Chelsea send on Liam Delap for Joao Pedro up front

57' Madueke is booed on as he replaces Martinelli & Odegaard is on for Zubimendi

58' GOAL! Merino powers a close-range header from Saka's cross! Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

62' Lovely run by Neto to carry the ball into the box where he's tackled by Hincapie

67' Match Event for Chelsea vs Arsenal

71' Bukayo Saka beats Marc Cucurella and shoots over but he was offside anyway

72' Arsenal send on striker Gyokeres, his return from injury, for Eberechi Eze

73' Match Event for Chelsea vs Arsenal

78' Liam Delap's shot from outside the box is saved

78' David Raya getting in arguments with Chelsea players

Line-ups

Chelsea XI: Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Robert Sánchez, Pedro Neto, Wesley Fofana, João Pedro, Enzo, Caicedo, Gusto, Estêvão

Subs: Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Cole Palmer, Jørgensen, Garnacho, Liam Delap, Gittens, Andrey Santos, Josh Acheampong

Arsenal XI: David Raya, Merino, Rice, Eberechi Eze, Martín Zubimendi, Martinelli, Saka, Timber, Calafiori, Hincapie, Cristhian Mosquera

Subs: Christian Nørgaard, Kepa, Ødegaard, Jesus, Viktor Gyökeres, Ben White, Madueke, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly