Arsenal put their pursuit of a place in the Premier League’s top four back on track as they ended a run of three defeats with a crucial victory at Chelsea.
The Gunners had slipped from looking in pole position to secure a place in next season’s Champions League but this win will provide renewed belief.
Eddie Nketiah was given the nod ahead of out-of-sorts Alexandre Lacazette in Arsenal’s attack and he rewarded manager Mikel Arteta’s faith when he took advantage of Andreas Christensen’s header with a composed finish in the 13th minute.
It was the start of a chaotic first half as Timo Werner equalized with a deflected shot four minutes later before Emile Smith Rowe showed a real touch of class to beat Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy from the edge of the area.
Chelsea were back on terms again before the break through captain Cesar Azpilicueta but Nketiah pounced on a series of defensive errors to put Arsenal back in front after 57 minutes.
Bukayo Saka was outstanding for Arsenal and he got the reward his performance deserved when he sealed the win from the spot in added time after he was hauled down by Azpilicueta.
The Gunners are now level on points with north London rivals Tottenham with a derby at Emirates Stadium still to come.
More to follow.
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Chelsea
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squad number16player nameMendy
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squad number24player nameJames
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squad number4player nameChristensen
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squad number31player nameSarr
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squad number28player nameAzpilicueta
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squad number12player nameLoftus-Cheek
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squad number7player nameKante
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squad number3player nameAlonso
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squad number19player nameMount
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squad number9player nameLukaku
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squad numberelevenplayer namewerner
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squad number6player nameThiago Silva
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squad number22player nameZiyech
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squad number29player nameHavertz
Arsenal
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squad number9player nameLacazette -
squad number17player nameCedric Soares -
squad number35player nameGabriel Martinelli
Line-ups
Chelsea
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 16Mendy
- 24James
- 4ChristensenSubstituted forThiago Silvaat Four. Five’minutes
- 31SarrBooked at 65mins
- 28AzpilicuetaBooked at 90mins
- 12Loftus-Cheek
- 7Kante
- 3AlonsoSubstituted forZiyechat 81′minutes
- 19MountBooked at 84mins
- 9LukakuSubstituted forHavertzat 60′minutes
- elevenwerner
substitutes
- oneArrizabalaga
- 5Jorginho
- 6Thiago Silva
- 10Pulisic
- 14Chalobah
- 17saul
- 18Barkley
- 22Ziyech
- 29Havertz
Arsenal
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 32Ramsdale
- 4White
- 16Holding company
- 6GabrielBooked at 90mins
- twentyTavares
- 25Elneny
- 3. 4Xhaka
- 7sakaSubstituted forLacazetteat 90+5′minutes
- 8Ødegaard
- 10Smith RoweSubstituted forCedric Soaresat 75′minutes
- 30NketiahSubstituted forMartinelliat 70′minutes
substitutes
- oneLog
- 9Lacazette
- 17Cedric Soares
- 19pepe
- 23Sambi Lokonga
- 35Martinelli
- 38Azeez
- 69swanson
- 82Hutchinson
- Referee:
- Jonathan Moss
- attendance:
- 32,249
LiveText
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Match ends, Chelsea 2, Arsenal 4.
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Second half ends, Chelsea 2, Arsenal 4.
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Substitution Arsenal. Alexandre Lacazette replaces Bukayo Saka.
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Goal! Chelsea 2, Arsenal 4. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
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César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card.
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Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card.
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Penalty awarded by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) after a foul in the penalty area.
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Penalty Arsenal. Bukayo Saka draws a foul in the penalty area.
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Corner, Chelsea. Awarded by Rob Holding.
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Attempt missed. Nuno Tavares (Arsenal) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is high and wide to the left.
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Mason Mount (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Mason Mount (Chelsea).
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Cédric Soares (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt missed. Nuno Tavares (Arsenal) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Cédric Soares.
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Foul by Malang Sarr (Chelsea).
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Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Chelsea. Hakim Ziyech replaces Marcos Alonso.
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Attempt missed. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) right footed shot from the center of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Cédric Soares.
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Substitution Arsenal. Cédric Soares replaces Emile Smith Rowe.
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Substitution Arsenal. Gabriel Martinelli replaces Eddie Nketiah.
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Reference-www.bbc.co.uk