Arsenal passed the biggest test in the defence of their Premier League title so far in style as they hit back from conceding inside two minutes to beat Chelsea 2-1 .
Morgan Rogers volleyed the visitors ahead after 77 seconds but Arsenal’s response was emphatic with Kai Havertz equalising after 25 minutes, by which point Riccardo Calafiori had already had a seeming equaliser ruled out for Ezri Konsa’s offside.
The impressive Martin Odegaard then finished off a flowing move shortly after the break for the decisive goal. Chelsea were never fully out of it in an absorbing high-octane duel and substitute Estevao was denied a late equaliser by a superb save from David Raya.
Victory leaves Arsenal level with Manchester City at the top of the nascent Premier League table, with both sides on a maximum nine points after three games.
Relive all the action from Arsenal v Chelsea with our live blog below:
Arsenal v Chelsea LIVE: Latest Premier League updates
- Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-1 in an entertainingly chaotic London derby
- REPORT: The Arsenal machine found a new gear against Chelsea – that spells trouble for rivals
- Chelsea have still not beaten Arsenal since 2021 but hope to be title challengers this year
- 50' - GOAL! Martin Odegaard finishes off sublime team goal to put Arsenal in front (ARS 2-1 CHE)
- 25' - GOAL! Kai Havertz levels with fine finish from edge of box (ARS 1-1 CHE)
- 13' - NO GOAL! Riccardo Calafiori equaliser chalked off in chaotic start (ARS 0-1 CHE)
- 2' - GOAL! Morgan Rogers puts Chelsea ahead inside 90 seconds (ARS 0-1 CHE)
Pundits rule Chelsea out of the Premier League title race after narrow defeat to Arsenal
07:00 , Chris Wilson
Sky Sports pundits Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Carragher have ruled Chelsea out of the Premier League title race after emphasising the “massive gulf” between the teams following the Blues’ 2-1 defeat to Arsenal.
Xabi Alonso’s side were tipped to challenge the champions this season after a promising start to the new campaign that saw them win 3-2 and 4-3 against Fulham and Brighton in their opening two games, and they got off to the perfect start at the Emirates as Morgan Rogers opened the scoring within 90 seconds.
However, the Gunners dominated proceedings from there, with an equaliser ruled out before Kai Havertz fired past Emi Martinez to level it before half-time.
Chelsea ruled out of Premier League title race by pundits after defeat to Arsenal
Arsenal 2026/27 Champions League fixtures: League phase opponents revealed for Gunners
06:00 , Chris Wilson
With the first game of the Champions League campaign coming up this week, here’s a look at Arsenal’s fixtures...
Arsenal are set to play the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the Champions League’s first phase this season, as the Gunners aim to bounce back from their final heartbreak.
In May, Arsenal lost the Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain after coming up short in a penalty shootout, meaning their wait for a first trophy in the competition goes on.
As they bid to reach a second consecutive final – and third overall – the reigning Premier League winners will this season take on Real Madrid and their Spanish colleagues Real Betis, as well as German duo Bayern and Borussia Dortmund.
Arsenal 2026/27 Champions League fixtures: Gunners’ league phase opponents revealed
Go beyond the game with Miguel Delaney’s award-winning Inside Football newsletter – get one month free
05:00 , Chris Wilson
The football fixture calendar is relentless, and the news cycle feels nonstop – spanning everything from results and matches to tactics, competitions, transfers, politics, global expansion, and even the geopolitics and greater forces now reshaping how the very sport is played.
In short, there’s a lot to keep up with – and to make sense of. That’s where my award-winning newsletter Inside Football comes in.
Landing in your inbox every Friday, Inside Football delivers insight, opinion, and the under-the-radar details you love.
Think of my newsletter as the game’s answer to Popbitch: a space to go deeper and share what I’m seeing and hearing as I cover the game around the world.
Join Miguel Delaney’s award-winning Inside Football newsletter – one month free
Why was Riccardo Calafiori’s goal disallowed by VAR during Arsenal vs Chelsea?
04:00 , Chris Wilson
Riccardo Calafiori appeared to have equalised early in the first half of a thrilling Premier League London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea, only to end up frustrated when VAR intervened to disallow the goal.
It had taken less than two minutes for Chelsea to grab a surprise lead at the Emirates Stadium, with Morgan Rogers producing a sublime finish to stun the reigning champions.
Arsenal failed to adequately clear a launched free kick from Reece James, which eventually fell at the feet of Rogers on the edge of the area. The £117m man caught the ball on the volley and although it wasn’t necessarily a truly clean connection, it thudded beyond David Raya into the bottom corner.
Why was Riccardo Calafiori’s goal disallowed by VAR during Arsenal vs Chelsea?
Anderson, Fernandez, Rogers: Can a player ever be worth £100m to a football club?
03:00 , Lawrence Ostlere
There is a reason eight of the most expensive 10 transfers between English clubs this summer involved central midfielders.
Of all the factors that go into valuing a footballer – age, length of contract, performance metrics, injury record, Tottenham’s desperation – the starting point for any negotiation is to benchmark a player against the market. Once Spurs bought Mateus Fernandes for a club record £85m from West Ham in June, and then broke that record buying Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for £100m four days later, the reference points were set for Bruno Guimaraes, Morgan Rogers, Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba and Enzo Fernandez later in the window.
Can a player ever be worth £100m to a football club?
Alexander Isak kick-starts Liverpool career with first Reds brace at helpless Ipswich
02:00 , Kieran Jackson
Three minutes: is that all it takes to kickstart a career? For all the pre-match talk and excitement surrounding Liverpool’s star signing of the summer in Bradley Barcola, Friday night under the Suffolk lights was finally time for the joint-most expensive purchase in English football history to make his first significant mark in Merseyside red. It’s only taken him 12 months.
What a morale-boosting evening this was for Alexander Isak at Portman Road. Loitering tantalisingly on the shoulder of a beleaguered Ipswich defence, the Sweden international notched two goals in three first-half minutes here – his first brace for Liverpool and just his fifth and sixth Premier League goals since that £125m move from Newcastle – to set Andoni Iraola on his way to a comfortable first Premier League victory in the Reds dugout. “With Alex, if he is fit, if he is available, if he is in good shape, I think he will produce the numbers,” Iraola said. We shall see.
Gakpo proves his worth again to Liverpool – but where does Iraola play him now?
How cheaper buys outshone £125m Enzo Fernandez on Manchester City bow
01:00 , Richard Jolly
The previous time Enzo Fernandez had started a match, he exited in disgrace. A few weeks and £125m later, some Manchester City fans stood to applaud their most expensive debutant ever.
From being sent off in the World Cup final to being parachuted in for an unexpected start, it has been an eventful few weeks for the Argentinian. Relatively speaking, this was the calm after the storm.
The taunts from the Coventry fans as he was substituted are a sign of a growing notoriety, even if Fernandez was on his best behaviour as he turned in a performance that was more encouraging than astounding. Yet if City could thank one deadline-day signing for victory, it was not him but Gianluigi Donnarumma, who arrived at the end of the window last summer and who made three terrific saves.
How cheaper buys outshone £125m Enzo Fernandez on Manchester City bow
No Balogun, no problem: Everton forget transfer shambles with dramatic Man United draw
00:00 , Richard Jolly
Forget, for a minute, the signing Everton did not make and concentrate on ones they did. Their deadline day ended in shambolic fashion, but the last buy they made conjured a spectacular, sensational end to his debut.
The consensus was that they lost the transfer window. Yet when they were losing against Manchester United, two newcomers delivered a draw in glorious fashion.
First to equalise was Tyrique George, proof that, while Everton left some of their business too late in the summer, they got much of it done early. Then it was Ainsley Maitland-Niles, whose arrival was only announced 45 minutes before the deadline.
No Balogun, no problem: Everton forget transfer shambles with dramatic Man Utd draw
Premier League results
23:00 , Chris Wilson
Here’s the full set of results from this weekend then!
Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth
Brentford 1-1 Sunderland
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham
Fulham 2-3 Crystal Palace
Brighton 1-1 Leeds
Hull City 0-0 Aston Villa
Arsenal 2026/27 Champions League fixtures: League phase opponents revealed for Gunners
22:00 , Chris Wilson
With the first game of the Champions League campaign coming up, here’s a look at Arsenal’s fixtures...
Arsenal are set to play the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the Champions League’s first phase this season, as the Gunners aim to bounce back from their final heartbreak.
In May, Arsenal lost the Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain after coming up short in a penalty shootout, meaning their wait for a first trophy in the competition goes on.
As they bid to reach a second consecutive final – and third overall – the reigning Premier League winners will this season take on Real Madrid and their Spanish colleagues Real Betis, as well as German duo Bayern and Borussia Dortmund.
Arsenal 2026/27 Champions League fixtures: Gunners’ league phase opponents revealed
Martin Odegaard’s carbon-copy goal shows why Arsenal will be different this season
21:30 , Lawrence Ostlere
Hang on. We’d seen that goal before, hadn’t we? We’d seen Martin Odegaard just there, lurking undetected in a pocket of space between defence and midfield.
We’d seen Christos Tzolis drive inside and fire that exact pass into the centre. We’d seen Riccardo Calafiori’s decoy run and Kai Havertz intelligently leave it. We’d seen Odegaard’s little dart, the velcro control, the poise as he waited just a beat before pulling the trigger.
If Odegaard’s winning goal against Chelsea felt familiar, that’s because he’d scored a carbon copy against Manchester City in the Community Shield four weeks earlier. The same players, the same movements, the same outcome, with a world-class goalkeeper – then Gianluigi Donnarumma, now Emiliano Martinez – left beaten on the ground as the ball hit the net.
Martin Odegaard’s carbon-copy goal shows why Arsenal will be different this season
Go beyond the game with Miguel Delaney’s award-winning Inside Football newsletter – get one month free
21:00 , Chris Wilson
The football fixture calendar is relentless, and the news cycle feels nonstop – spanning everything from results and matches to tactics, competitions, transfers, politics, global expansion, and even the geopolitics and greater forces now reshaping how the very sport is played.
In short, there’s a lot to keep up with – and to make sense of. That’s where my award-winning newsletter Inside Football comes in.
Landing in your inbox every Friday, Inside Football delivers insight, opinion, and the under-the-radar details you love.
Think of my newsletter as the game’s answer to Popbitch: a space to go deeper and share what I’m seeing and hearing as I cover the game around the world.
Join Miguel Delaney’s award-winning Inside Football newsletter – one month free
More from Alonso
20:40 , Chris Wilson
Here’s more from Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso, who was speaking to Match of the Day:
“The assessment and the feeling [is that] it hurts. It hurts to lose. It hurts to suffer our first defeat. It has been a very intense game, a great fight between two sides who have given everything.
“They have played with the top level of concentration, of intensity. We have tried, we score early, after that Arsenal push us hard and we were struggling a little bit to get control of the ball,” he explained.
“After the equaliser, it has been quite balanced. We had a couple of chances. It's about details. Once you concede, you need to know it's just one goal. Disappointed that we couldn't take anything from here.
“It was never going to be a game to create 12 opportunities. They are hard to beat, they are hard to create chances [against], but we had 3,4, chances to score more than one goal.
“This is a process. It's still early days for us. We want to start having clean sheets, they will come. The players are committed to working hard, to knowing that we're on the way to compete in each game. Not happy that we couldn't get anything but we need to keep calm and carry on."
“We want to keep improving in certain areas, we want to keep doing as well as we are doing. Each game is really hard battle and we have fought really hard up to the last minute in the game. It's very important we have this spirit and the team is feeling this spirit. It gives you the strength to win games,” he added as he finished.
More from Arteta
20:20 , Chris Wilson
“I was very disappointed with the way that we conceded the first goal, and we talked about it, but it’s as well a credit to them and the finish from Morgan (Rogers),” said Mikel Arteta on Sky.
“But the way that we reacted and the way that we played – it was a fascinating game.
“I think from start to finish, it was an absolute joy to watch our team play, compete, the composure, the personality, the threat that we generated, some huge individual performances.
“And the atmosphere in the stadium as well, it was just something great to witness.
“It was another layer (from us). Another layer of dynamism, of threat, of intent, of aggression in the attacking phase and you have certainly seen that today,” he added.
Pundits rule Chelsea out of the Premier League title race after narrow defeat to Arsenal
20:05 , Chris Wilson
Sky Sports pundits Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Carragher have ruled Chelsea out of the Premier League title race after emphasising the “massive gulf” between the teams following the Blues’ 2-1 defeat to Arsenal.
Xabi Alonso’s side were tipped to challenge the champions this season after a promising start to the new campaign that saw them win 3-2 and 4-3 against Fulham and Brighton in their opening two games, and they got off to the perfect start at the Emirates as Morgan Rogers opened the scoring within 90 seconds.
However, the Gunners dominated proceedings from there, with an equaliser ruled out before Kai Havertz fired past Emi Martinez to level it before half-time.
Pundits rule Chelsea out of the Premier League title race after defeat to Arsenal
The Arsenal machine found a new gear against Chelsea – that spells trouble for rivals
19:50 , Miguel Delaney
If this blistering match is to develop into the title race, Arsenal look much further ahead than their new three-point lead over Chelsea.
Xabi Alonso’s side had a spark and an energy that pushed the champions, but they didn’t really have a midfield and that meant they didn’t have control, which brought Alonso’s first defeat. It is that control which marks Arsenal apart, after a 2-1 win that maintains their 100 per cent record after three games.
One of the main impressions from this victory was that Mikel Arteta’s side were more open and attacking than the Premier League has become accustomed to, with that largely influenced by how Chelsea came to have a go at them.
The Arsenal machine found a new gear against Chelsea – that spells trouble for rivals
James: 'There was lots of positives'
19:45 , Chris Wilson
“There was lots of positives, we started the game really well and even when we went behind we showed character to try and get back in the game but we ran out of time in the end,” said Chelsea captain Reece James on Sky.
"Football at this level is a game of moments. One or two things change the scoreline. It was a tough game today and we have to review and take the learnings,” he explained.
“It's the Premier League, it's the toughest league in the world and playing against anyone in midfield or in any position is always a test.
“We try and adapt as fast as possible. We're still getting to know him [Alonso] and the way that he wants us to play. That comes with time but we are dedicated to what we want and the way he wants us to play.
On whether they can challenge Arsenal, he added: “We'll see where we are at the end of the season. We know what we have to do and we have to focus on ourselves and not let other teams distract us."
Carragher praises Havertz
19:40 , Chris Wilson
“To displace Havertz out of this team, you need to be one of the best players in the world, it has to be an Ian Wright or Thierry Henry, a guarantee of 30 goals a season,” said Jamie Carragher on Kai Havertz’s role in this Arsenal team.
“Gyokeres is never taking Havertz's place, nor would Rogers, and it is not so much what they give you in attack, more what they give you as a team.
“One of the reasons you cannot break Arsenal down is because of how well they press from the front, but then when the opposition get through that, they all get back behind the ball and Havertz is about 25-30 yards from his goal.
"You ask a world-class striker to do that.... he will not do that,” added the former Liverpool man.
Carragher: 'It doesn’t look like anyone can score against them'
19:36 , Chris Wilson
“I think the worrying thing for everyone else is that Saliba, who is generally world-class and the best centre back in world football, has not played a minute of football so far this season, and it doesn’t look like anyone can score against them,” said Jamie Carragher on Sky.
“Chelsea got the one today, but they didn’t really create one big chance in the game. It was a lot of effort outside the box,” he explained.
Arteta: 'It was a joy to watch'
19:32 , Chris Wilson
“It wasn't the right start but we certainly reacted in an amazing way. I enjoyed the way we competed; we took risks, it was a joy to watch and an incredible game,” said Mikel Arteta on Match of the Day.
“They have a great coach who can set them up in great condition. With the quality you have, you feel they can create something out of nothing at any moment. We constrained them well. Overall, it was an incredible performance from our side,” explained the Spaniard.
On Martin Odegaard, he said: “I think he is enjoying his football. His personal life is settled, he is available, he is training, he has his routine and if he is intelligent, he can take a lot of benefits from the players around him. I think he was outstanding today.
“We are very happy and we need to continue to raise the bar and look to improve every single time because there are still a lot of margins to do so. We need to enjoy the victory because it was a big one today,” he added.
More from Sturridge
19:28 , Chris Wilson
“What Xabi [Alonso] needs to do, and what he’s going to address, is how to get the team playing the style he wants,” said Sturridge as he elaborated on his concerns about Chelsea.
“When you talk about progress, they won the first two games, they gave a good account of themselves today, but I’m talking about communication, knowing where you want to be, knowing your teammates roles.
“You can still see there’s a little bit of confusion, it’s not seamless yet, and going forward they’re reliant on the front three to win them games right now. That’s not sustainable all season,” he added.
Sturridge: 'You can see it’s a work in progress'
19:23 , Chris Wilson
“I feel as if [Chelsea] started the game well, but ultimately, you can see that there are few things that need to change for them to be as fluid as they can be,” said Daniel Sturrudge when evaluating Chelsea.
“You can see that the communication isn’t perfect.They threatened Arsenal at various moments, but I think they are very much leaning into the front three right now, and you can see everything behind them is coming together.
“The chemistry is there for the front three, but outside of it, you can see it’s a work in progress,” added the former Blues striker.
More from Alonso
19:18 , Chris Wilson
“It's about preparing the best possible way to compete the best possible way. You need to control the overloads on the right side. It's part of the game to have these actions. We continue. It's game three and this is going to be a long, long ride,” explained Alonso as he continued.
“You take decisions, you make approaches. We want to be active and take initiative. Sometimes with set pieces, sometimes pressing high or lower. I think that's what you need to compete in all the stages. Today we've come here trying to compete as well as possible now we need to continue.
“I learnt about the game, about us, about what we are doing, what we are starting. The players have this attitude, this desire to compete better game by game to create something we believe in. So far I'm happy. We want to win games, this is the ultimate goal.
“You need to deal with injuries, the squad are missing the injured players. The ones we had went with full gas. Today they tried their best and have given everything,” added the Chelsea boss.
Alonso: 'It hurts'
19:14 , Chris Wilson
"It hurts. It hurts because a defeat has to hurt. It has been a very intense game with different moments for everything. We had chances to equalise. In the first half as well a couple of chances. Never happy if you lose,” said Xabi Alonso on Sky after full-time.
“After we scored, there were 15-20 minutes where we had to defend too much and we were struggling a bit to get control. We then had better spells with the ball.
“Overall, it was a very tight, very intense game. We could do better with the second goal to conceded too early. The guys gave everything, tried everything. It has to hurt,” he added.
Havertz: 'We deserved to win that game'
19:09 , Chris Wilson
“It's always nice to win at home against a London rival. It was a tough game but over the 90 minutes, we deserved to win that game,” said Kai Havertz on BBC Match of the Day.
“They have strong players. They have an amazing squad but so do we. We knew it was going to be tough and it's going to be a tight game. They scored early, so it's not easy for us but we believed in ourselves and changed the game around."
On Martin Odegaard, he adds: “I think he's an unbelievable player, we saw that over the last years. This season, I think he's back to his best. I think he's going to help us a lot this season.”
Konsa: 'On another day we score three or four'
19:05 , Chris Wilson
“I felt at home since the first moment I joined, the boys have been top, the staff have been top. Buzzing to make my debut at home and three points is the most important,” said Ezri Konsa after the Arsenal win.
“It's part of football, it's all about how you react. Over here I know we are big on clean sheets but we reacted fantastically,” he explained on how Arsenal played when going behind.
On the tackle on former team-mate Morgan Rogers, he adds: “It got the crowd going. If you get it wrong it is bad but if you get it right it's always a good feeling. On another day I think we score three or four."
Wright explains confidence in Arsenal win
19:00 , Chris Wilson
“I said at the start I was very confident Arsenal were going to win the game,” said Ian Wright on Sky.
“Them scoring in 77 seconds, you are disappointed to see that, but I always felt we were going to get in the game at some stage as they were going to play with their low block and then play on the counter.
“So it was just about whether we can get the ball out wider and quicker and we did and we really got into them and in the end, because we are the champions, I was very confident we would get back in the game,” added the for mer Arsenal man.
Odegaard: 'We showed our quality'
18:56 , Chris Wilson
“It was a big game, massive game, tough opponent and we got there in the end so brilliant,” said Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard at full-time on Sky.
“Our mentality is to keep fighting. We have shown that many times. We never want to concede early but the reaction is top. We got our reward in the end and the response was brilliant. We showed our quality with and without the ball and the result reflects that,” he explained.
On Kai Havertz, he added: “He's a really smart player, he moves so well and takes a lot of attention from the defenders and it was a brilliant goal."
Next up
18:53 , Chris Wilson
Arsenal’s next game comes in the Champions League, where they face Napoli on Wednesday night in Naples. Their next league game comes against Sunderland, with that one kicking off at 8pm BST on Saturday at the Stadium of Light.
Chelsea will face Leeds in the League Cup in midweek (with that match kicking off at 8pm at Stamford Bridge), before the Blues return to league action with a match against Hull. That kicks off at 3pm at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, 9 September.
Why was Riccardo Calafiori’s goal disallowed by VAR during Arsenal vs Chelsea?
18:49 , Chris Wilson
Riccardo Calafiori appeared to have equalised early in the first half of a thrilling Premier League London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea, only to end up frustrated when VAR intervened to disallow the goal.
It had taken less than two minutes for Chelsea to grab a surprise lead at the Emirates Stadium, with Morgan Rogers producing a sublime finish to stun the reigning champions.
Arsenal failed to adequately clear a launched free kick from Reece James, which eventually fell at the feet of Rogers on the edge of the area. The £117m man caught the ball on the volley and although it wasn’t necessarily a truly clean connection, it thudded beyond David Raya into the bottom corner.
Why was Riccardo Calafiori’s goal disallowed by VAR during Arsenal vs Chelsea?
Wright: 'Arsenal have started the season well'
18:45 , Chris Wilson
“Yeah, I think so [it’s a big win], especially with Chelsea’s form,” says Ian Wright on Sky.
“Arsenal to be fair have started the season well too. They’re the champions, and Chelsea with their front three, they’re really good players, but I thought we’ve done well against them.
“We were aggressive and physical. Any game you want to play against Arsenal, they’re ready to go,” added the former England striker.
Match stats
18:41 , Chris Wilson
Here’s a fascinating stat courtesy of Sky Sports...
Arsenal have won their opening three games of a top-flight campaign while also conceding fewer than two goals for the third time. The first was in 1924-25, when they finished 20th, and the other was in 2003-04, when they went the whole season unbeaten!
How the table looks
18:38 , Chris Wilson
That result means that Arsenal and Man City have already pulled ahead at the start of the Premier League season.
Both teams have a 100% record so far, with three wins from three. That puts them two points above Hull City in third!
Here’s how the top five looks after three games:
1 - Man City - 9pts, GD +5
2 - Arsenal - 9pts, GD +5
3 - Hull City - 7pts, GD +3
4 - Chelsea - 6pts, GD +1
5 - Brentford - 5pts, GD +3
FULL-TIME! Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea
18:35 , Chris Wilson
FULL-TIME! Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea
18:33 , Chris Wilson
“We knew Arsenal were the better team and they have proven that in this game,” said Gary Neville at full-time on Sky.
“The question before today was, how close are Chelsea? And Alonso will be proud of what he has seen. There are obviously improvements to be made, but they gave it a right good go.
“A lot of very good things and they will be frustrated and disappointed, but they may potentially look back on this game as a good moment rather than as bad as it may feel right now,” he added.
FULL-TIME! Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea
18:29 , Chris Wilson
That’s it! The referee blows the final whistle and the champions have a deserved win at the Emirates.
It was a fascinating game for much of the 90 minutes, but in the end Arsenal have done more than enough to prove wh they’re still overwhelming title favourites.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 90 +4 minutes
18:28 , Chris Wilson
The free-kick is pumped into the box from deep but it’s headed away. Chelsea will try and rework it but will the clock has ticked past 95’...
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 90 +4 minutes
18:27 , Chris Wilson
Pedro is fouled near halfway and Chelsea might have one last chance here!
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 90 +2 minutes
18:26 , Chris Wilson
The Gunners look a lot more settled now as they bid to play out the rest of the game. They’re enjoying plenty of possession, and while they’re in promising positions, they’re not trying to force anything.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 90 minutes
18:24 , Chris Wilson
There’ll be a minimum of four minutes of added time at the Emirates!
Arsenal launch a counter led by Merino and Gyokeres. They work it wide to Madueke, before realising the situation and recycling possession back to the defenders.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 89 minutes
18:23 , Chris Wilson
Arsenal make their last change as Saka makes way for Madueke.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 89 minutes
18:22 , Chris Wilson
SAVE! Raya does everything he can to keep Arsenal ahead!
It’s a great stop too, with the Spaniard getting across to tip over a superb curling effort from Estevao.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 88 minutes
18:21 , Chris Wilson
The free-kick is blocked by Rice but it caught him square in the face, and he’s stayed down as Tzolis can’t find the final pass on the counter.
Rice is back up and okay to carry on.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 86 minutes
18:20 , Chris Wilson
A couple of Arsenal counter-attacks break down as Gyokeres does poorly on both occasions.
Chelsea are enjoying plenty of possession here, and there’s definitely some unease around the Emirates late on!
The Blues win a free-kick as Zubimendi drags back Pedro and clips him around 35 yards out.
Before the set-piece is taken, Danny Welbeck comes on for Rogers, with the home fans giving him a good reception.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 83 minutes
18:17 , Chris Wilson
Gyokeres gives away a free-kick deep into the Chelsea half.
Arsenal haven’t managed to keep possession anywhere near as well in the last few minutes, but they get away with one as Palmer blasts wide from inside the box.
There’s a scuffle now as Rogers pushes Rice. The Arsenal midfielder clipped his England teammate off the ball when he was making a run, and Chelsea should have had a dangerous free-kick right on the edge of the area.
Instead, Rogers is given a yellow card!
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 81 minutes
18:14 , Chris Wilson
Pedro is fouled by Zubimendi just outside the centre circle. Chelsea play it shot but Rogers’ cross isn’t a great one, and the Blues lose the ball in the end.
Neto comes off for Estevao as Alonso takes another roll of the dice.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 79 minutes
18:13 , Chris Wilson
Better from Chelsea as they look for a late equaliser. They work it well to Pedro, who’s in space in the area, though he eventually sees his cross put behind for a corner.
The ball comes in but Raya manages to collect again.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 76 minutes
18:11 , Chris Wilson
Another great claim from Raya as he easily collects Neto’s latest cross. Arsenal look to counter and they win a free-kick as James clips Odegaard.
The hosts make changes, with Havertz and Odegaard making way for Viktor Gyokeres and Mikel Merino.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 75 minutes
18:08 , Chris Wilson
Chelsea win a corner and Neto delivers, before James sees his effort from distance headed away by Gabriel. The Blues are refusing to go away at the moment.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 73 minutes
18:07 , Chris Wilson
Chavarria’s cross ends up in the hands of Raya, but Chelsea win the ball back quickly from the attempted counter. Neto drives at the Arsenal defence but Rice eventually wins it back. Neither side can keep possession!
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 71 minutes
18:05 , Chris Wilson
The first of two corners sees Rice clip it to the front post, where Havertz nods it on before it’s deflected out again.
The second routine sees Saka go short, but it comes to nothing as it’s deflected out again.
The England winger opts to just swing it into the box on the third attempt, and this one escapes a few bodies before landing in the grateful arms of Martinez!
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 69 minutes
18:02 , Chris Wilson
Almost another great chance for Arsenal as Odegaard slips it to Zubimendi in the area. He turns and almost has space for the shot, but he’s closed down at the last second!
Moments later, the Gunners almost have a third as Havertz clips a lovely deft touch into the path of Saka, who forces Martinez to tip his curled effort out for a corner.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 66 minutes
17:59 , Chris Wilson
Saka wins a free-kick in the Chelsea half as Arsenal make changes. Piero Hincapie and Martin Zubimendi come on for Calafiori and Lewis-Skelly.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 65 minutes
17:58 , Chris Wilson
Acheampong gets lucky as he loses out to Saka but a foul is called for what looked like a clean challenge.
Chelsea are starting to enjoy a little more possession but they aren’t finding many gaps, with Rogers firing wildly over the bar from distance.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 63 minutes
17:57 , Chris Wilson
Raya is again off his line well, this time to collect a promising through ball. He tries to launch a counter but there was too much on it this time.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 62 minutes
17:55 , Chris Wilson
Gusto’s first touch is to sweep a curling effort over the bar from the edge of the box.
Gary Neville notes that Chelsea have two right-backs in central midfield right now. While it’s no fault of Alonso’s after the recent injuries, it’s perhaps not the most obvious solution.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 60 minutes
17:53 , Chris Wilson
It comes wide to Tzolis and he fizzes in a teasing cross that is headed out at the last. The Gunners are piling on pressure now.
Chelsea make changes as Pep Chavarria and Malo Gusto come on for Hato and Lavia, the latter of whom looks extremely disappointed.
Gusto and James in central midfield isn’t too encouraging for the Blues.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 58 minutes
17:51 , Chris Wilson
Half a chance for Chelsea as James plays it to Pedro in the box, but the cross is straight to Raya.
He tries to launch a counter but Lacroix stops it, with himself and Tzolis both booked in the aftermath (the latter for requesting the yellow).
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 56 minutes
17:50 , Chris Wilson
Arsenal are certainly going for it now, throwing men up the pitch as they look to cement their lead.
Palmer wins the ball back near halfway and releases Rogers, but the winger takes a poor touch and Konsa wins the ball back with a crunching sliding challenge. That got the home fans going!
Odegaard strikes again
17:49 , Lawrence Ostlere at the Emirates Stadium
That goal was almost identical to Odegaard's in the Community Shield. Tzolis cut inside and passed low into the box, Havertz let the ball run, and Odegaard took a couple of touches before firing past the goalkeeper. It is a run opponents are going to have to start tracking.
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea, 53 minutes
17:46 , Chris Wilson
Arsenal are enjoying more possession in the Chelsea half as they look to add to their lead. How can Chelsea respond?
GOAL! ARSENAL 2-1 Chelsea (Odegaard, 50 minutes)
17:45 , Chris Wilson
GOAL! The hosts are ahead and it’s a brilliant goal!
It’s made to look so simple but there’s a sublime dummy from Havertz to unlock it.
Calafiori works it wide to Tzolis, who comes in off the wing and plays a diagonal pass towards the Arsenal striker.
Havertz dummies to pick it up on the edge of the box but lets it go at the last minute, simultaneously sending Odegaard clean through as the Arsenal captain made a similar run from deep.
The Arsenal captain takes his touch well before rifling past Martinez from close range.
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, 49 minutes
17:42 , Chris Wilson
The hosts are knocking it around the opposition box, though this time it’s the Chelsea defence holding firm as Saka’s long shot hits Lacroix before the visitors win a goal kick.
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, 47 minutes
17:41 , Chris Wilson
Palmer looks to get Chelsea started on the attack but his pass is out of play. Arsenal look to get up the field themselves and they win a free-kick near halfway.
KICK-OFF! Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea
17:38 , Chris Wilson
We’re back underway in this London derby. Will either side be able to maintain their winning records?
HALF-TIME! Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea
17:33 , Chris Wilson
It promises to be an intriguing second half between these two sides. Chelsea have held their own b ut can they mark themselves out as true title contenders today?
At the same time, can Arsenal assert their dominance and remind the Blues why they’re champions? They certainly looked to set to in parts of that first half.
We’ll be back underway at the Emirates soon.
Why was Riccardo Calafiori’s goal disallowed by VAR during Arsenal vs Chelsea?
17:31 , Chris Wilson
Riccardo Calafiori appeared to have equalised early in the first half of a thrilling Premier League London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea, only to end up frustrated when VAR intervened to disallow the goal.
It had taken less than two minutes for Chelsea to grab a surprise lead at the Emirates Stadium, with Morgan Rogers producing a sublime finish to stun the reigning champions.
Arsenal failed to adequately clear a launched free kick from Reece James, which eventually fell at the feet of Rogers on the edge of the area. The £117m man caught the ball on the volley and although it wasn’t necessarily a truly clean connection, it thudded beyond David Raya into the bottom corner.
Why was Riccardo Calafiori’s goal disallowed by VAR during Arsenal vs Chelsea?
HALF-TIME! Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea
17:28 , Chris Wilson
Plenty of bite in clash of title contenders
17:25 , Lawrence Ostlere at the Emirates Stadium
An absorbing half of football, living up to its billing as a clash of two serious title contenders.
Arsenal have been the better side and should win this in the second half, but Chelsea have had their moments on the counter-attack and will be threatening, whatever happens. Plenty of bite in it too, which is fun.
HALF-TIME! Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea
17:22 , Chris Wilson
The referee blows the whistle and we’re level at the break at the Emirates.
It’s been an entertaining half of football in the capital, and we’re set for a fascinating second half as the champions look to assert their dominance at home.
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, 45 +3 minutes
17:20 , Chris Wilson
OFF THE POST!
Almost a second for the Blues!
It all comes from a great counter-attack, with Pedro showing great vision to play the ball into acres of space for Neto.
He’s isolated but he drives towards goal under pressure before rifling a low effort across goal. It looks bound for the corner but comes flying back off the base of the far post!
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, 45 +1 minutes
17:19 , Chris Wilson
Into the first of four added minutes at the Emirates as Arsenal prepare to take that free-kick.
Rice takes it short but the routine is poor, before White fails to get the ball into the box under pressure from Lavia.
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, 45 minutes
17:16 , Chris Wilson
It’s quite stop-start now at the Emirates, with Chelsea winning a few soft fouls to break up the play.
Reece James delivers a free-kick from deep but there’s nobody to trouble Raya as he collects.
Arsenal launch a counter as Raya looks for Havertz, but Palmer pulls him back at the expense of a yellow card.
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, 42 minutes
17:13 , Chris Wilson
Acheampong shows some great pace down the right to keep the attack going, with Chelsea knocking it around the Arsenal box comfortably.
The home defence isn’t offering up any openings though, with Raya collecting a cross well.
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, 40 minutes
17:12 , Chris Wilson
Chelsea are a lot less willing to commit men forwards at the moment, with Pedro the latest to turn back when a potential counter was on (though he was admittedly outnumbered).
It’s eventually worked back to Martinez, with the visitors more than willing to try and control the game a little more.
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, 37 minutes
17:09 , Chris Wilson
The game has certainly slowed down now, though it had to after such a pulsating start.
The Gunners are dominating the ball, though neither side has had an opening since the equaliser.
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, 35 minutes
17:07 , Chris Wilson
Palmer’s touch is a little off and it gives Rice time to dive in and win possession, before the Chelsea man concedes a foul in frustration.
Moments later, Chelsea win the ball back in the Arsenal half, with Lavia working it to Pedro. He spots Raya off his line and goes for the lob, but makes a hash of it.
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, 33 minutes
17:05 , Chris Wilson
Arsenal have the ball around the Chelsea box again, with Odegaard combining with Saka before Havertz is sent through on the right. He clips a cross towards the back post but nothing comes of the header.
The Gunners come again though, before Lewis-Skelly fizzes a shot over. It looked to have taken a deflection, but the referee has awarded a goal kick...
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, 30 minutes
17:03 , Chris Wilson
More possession for the hosts as they look to take advantage of the moment, but this time it breaks down after an admittedly poor backheel from White in the box.
Chelsea have possession in their own defensive third and it feels like the first break we’ve had in a while, though they’re soon on the attack again.
Pedro receives the ball in the box before laying the ball back to Rogers. He looks to have a good chance to try and curl it into the corner, but he fires well wide.
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, 27 minutes
16:58 , Chris Wilson
There might be some questions over Martinez for that equaliser, but it’s nothing less than Arsenal deserve. They’ve dominated since the goal, but can they kick on from here?
At the same time, Chelsea had a couple of half-chances while they were ahead, and they’ll feel like they can hurt the hosts here.
Just the start?
16:57 , Lawrence Ostlere at the Emirates Stadium
That had been coming. Fantastic finish by Kai Havertz, and Arsenal fully deserve to be level after responding well to the early setback. This has been a brilliant game to watch, great tempo, and there will be more goals, surely...
GOAL! ARSENAL 1-1 Chelsea (Kai Havertz, 25 minutes)
16:56 , Harry Latham-Coyle
As we were saying! Arsenal are level – and this one will, just about, count!
It’s another fine finish, this time from Kai Havertz. The German is just onside as he picks up the ball in a sort of inside right channel, and sets about weaving along the line of the box-edge. He drags his left-footed effort back towards the near corner, where it blasts through the fingertips of Emiliano Martinez to level affairs.
Havertz strikes against his former club – and you can’t say it hasn’t been coming in this pulsating encounter.
Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 24 minutes
16:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It feels almost like the last 10 minutes of a knockout tie, this. Without wishing to tempt fate, it would be staggering if it ends 1-0.
Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 23 minutes
16:54 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Top stop again! That’s some drive from Reece James, drawing a full-stretch palm from David Raya sprawling to his right.
Arsenal counter at pace, Christos Tzolis sprung in behind. Kai Havertz lets his ball run to Martin Odegaard...brilliantly blocked!
What a game so far, though, played at the highest of intensity and skill.
Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 21 minutes
16:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Better set-piece work defensively from Chelsea, Wesley Fofana rising high to head away from the penalty spot. The bodies upfield will make them dangerous on the counter-attack, though Arsenal manage to slow them.
Still, though, a chance comes for Cole Palmer on the edge of the box...and David Raya does very well to hold his curling effort with Joao Pedro looking to scavenge.
Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 20 minutes
16:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Joao Pedro spreads his arms like a toddler presented with an unwanted plate of vegetables after hitting the deck following a bit of a grapple with Ezri Konsa. No free kick, probably rightly. Chris Kavanagh is letting a little bit of contact go, understandably.
Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 18 minutes
16:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And just 60 seconds after that Bukayo Saka chance, Ben White breaks in behind and nearly finds Kai Havertz with a low cross. It’s all happening down that right edge.
Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 17 minutes
16:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Arsenal are getting all sorts of joy down their right. Jorrel Hato is struggling to combat the overload down there with Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice both shading that way, and Emi Martinez is forced into a sharp save at his near post.
Chelsea's set-piece chaos
16:47 , Lawrence Ostlere at the Emirates Stadium
Austin MacPhee, the Chelsea set-piece coach, was furiously arranging his players before that Arsenal free-kick, and evidently it didn't work. In fairness, he can't do much if Joao Pedro kicks thin air trying to clear it. VAR eventually saves Chelsea, and Joao Pedro.
Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 15 minutes
16:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Good officiating from VAR Darren England and referee Chris Kavanagh there. There was plenty going on – but the right decision was reached.
Arsenal are all over Chelsea now, mind. Kai Havertz heads into the hands of Emi Martinez, unable to generate the requisite power to truly test the goalkeeper.
NO GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 13 minutes
16:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Hang on...the goal is chalked off! The VAR has pulled up Konsa for being offside in that passage amidst the throng of bodies as he followed up the free kick. NO GOAL!
GOAL! ARSENAL 1-1 Chelsea (Riccardo Calafiori, 12 minutes)
16:43 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The champions are level! Chaos and carnage in the box again and eventually the ball is bundled home!
Crikey, that’s a right mess. Joao Pedro is guilty of failing to clear Declan Rice’s initial free kick, swinging past it with an ugly left leg. Arsenal bodies pile in to the six-yard box, with Ezri Konsa stabbing against the post and Emi Martinez out to smother another attempt. Riccardo Calafiori is there, though, to finish at the third time of asking.
Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 11 minutes
16:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle
That one is a foul. Bukayo Saka is felled by Jorrel Hato 25 yards or so out, a little way right of centre. Martin Odegaard range?
Arsenal stunned by Morgan Rogers opener
16:40 , Lawrence Ostlere at the Emirates Stadium
Wow. That was a bit of a mess from Arsenal’s point of view, and it has stunned the Emirates. A lovely finish by Morgan Rogers, and we have a fascinating game now.
Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 8 minutes
16:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Appeals for a penalty...but the flag is up. That box does look mightily empty as Bukayo Saka swings the corner in, and that means a header back across travels towards the taker. Romeo Lavia contests for the bouncing ball with Saka, who tumbles under slight contact – though he was in an offside position when the header was made. I don’t think it was a spot-kick, anyway.
Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 7 minutes
16:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A slightly worrying moment for Maxence Lacroix as the Chelsea defender lets one slip under his studs. He recovers swiftly enough to ensure no damage is done.
Emi Martinez – once of Arsenal, of course – is being booed pretty strongly by the home fans now. Good fun.
Arsenal earn a corner as Bukayo Saka and Ben White link up down the right. Chelsea have left four players upfield as the rest ready themselves for the delivery.
Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 5 minutes
16:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle
What has happened there? A low free kick from Martin Odegaard causes all manner of problems within the Chelsea six-yard box, with limbs everywhere as four players hit the floor. Emiliano Martinez is one of them, and the ball is eventually smuggled behind for a goal kick.
Eek! Martinez has taken a boot to the head from Gabriel Magalhaes amidst the chaos! Nasty. Unintentional, with Gabriel immediately raising a hand of apology, but it’s very, very clumsy.
Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, 3 minutes
16:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A seriously-focused start from Chelsea. There are plenty who feel Arsenal should have made more of a play for Rogers, of course.
GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 CHELSEA (Morgan Rogers, 2 minutes)
16:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Chelsea strike fast yet again! A superb finish from Morgan Rogers on the volley!
Well well well. Arsenal fail to adequately clear a launched free kick from Reece James, which eventually falls at the feet of Rogers in the ‘D’. It’s not, perhaps, the cleanest connection from the £117m man, but the direction is pinpoint, thudding into the bottom corner with David Raya well beaten. Some start!
Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea, 1 minute
16:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Reece James is in midfield for Chelsea, with Pedro Neto stationed in that wide right role. The Portugal international will have to do a fair bit of defensive work down that flank, but it does give Chelsea a real attacking look.
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