Arsenal come from behind to beat Chelsea
Chelsea were beaten in a ferocious London derby at the Emirates Stadium – their first Premier League defeat under new boss Xabi Alonso.
Reigning champions Arsenal came from behind after conceding an early goal, when Morgan Rogers put Alonso’s side in front.
Former Chelsea striker Kai Havertz struck a leveller midway through the first half, before Martin Odegaard put the Gunners ahead just after the interval to clinch all three points.
The Blues took the lead in dramatic style after only two minutes.
Arsenal failed to clear aerial danger before the ball fell kindly to Rogers around 20 yards out, and he swept a low shot into the left-hand corner of the net.
Pressing for a quick equaliser, Arsenal had a goal disallowed in the 12th minute, when Riccardo Calafiori bundled the ball in from close range. However, VAR decreed that Ezri Konsa was offside amid the melee.
With an intense first half played at furious pace, Cole Palmer and Reece James produced fine goal-bound attempts, but both were denied by good saves from keeper David Raya.
Arsenal levelled the contest in the 25th minute – and it was Havertz who delivered.
The forward picked up possession on the right side of the penalty area, before cutting inside beyond Wesley Fofana and sweeping a left-footed shot which inched past keeper Emiliano Martinez at his near post.
As Chelsea responded, Pedro Neto struck the woodwork on an impressive counter-attack on the stroke of half-time.
Mikel Arteta’s side started the second half brightly – and they went ahead in the 50th minute.
Odegaard fastened on to a precise through-ball from Cristoas Tzalis, who had sped past Josh Acheampong from the left, before the home skipper fired past exposed Martinez.
Chelsea intermittently revived. Palmer was denied by a smart stop by Raya, while the home keeper made an even better save to deny substitute Estevao.
Chelsea: Martinez, Fofana, Lacroix, Acheampong, Neto (Estevao 80), James, Lavia (Gusto 59), Hato (Chavarria 59), Palmer, Rogers (Welbeck 86), Joao Pedro.
