Neto sent off as Chelsea lose to Arsenal
Arsenal 2Saliba (21′)
Timber (66′)
Chelsea 1
Hincapié (OG, 59′)
Ill-discipline cost Chelsea for the second week in a row as Pedro Neto was sent off in a defeat at Arsenal.
Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header was enough to secure what was a tight win for the Premier League leaders, who were put under real pressure by the Blues.
Neto was booked for protesting against that goal, before he hacked down Gabriel Martinelli to stop a counter-attack moments later.
The sending-off was Chelsea’s ninth of the season, and derailed any hope of getting a valuable point at the Emirates.
Arsenal took the lead in the 21st minute, when Gabriel outjumped Joao Pedro to flick Buyako Saka’s corner back across goal for defensive partner William Saliba to nod in.
Robert Sanchez had a few shaky first-half moments with the ball at his feet, but the Gunners almost gifted the visitors a quick equaliser with a defensive mix-up of their own.
Martin Zubimendi played a bizarre pass back to David Raya, who just did enough to get the ball away from Pedro as he closed in quickly.
Chelsea then pulled themselves level on the stroke of half-time, when Reece James whipped in a dangerous inswinging corner that was deflected into the net by Arsenal’s Piero Hincapie.
The Blues were the stronger side coming out of the break, and nearly repeated their corner trick when Pedro’s header from inside six yards was saved magnificently by a diving Raya.
Cole Palmer also came close to connecting with another dangerous James cross before the hour mark.
But it was Arsenal that struck again from a set-piece in with 25 minutes to play, when Timber headed in. Chelsea players, including Neto, complained that Sanchez had been blocked off, but the goal stood.
Eberechi Eze drew a smart save from Sanchez with 10 minutes to play as Arsenal chased a third, but Chelsea also came close to snatching an equaliser.
Moises Caicedo fired a decent long-range effort over the crossbar, before substitute Alejandro Garnacho curled in a dangerous ball that would have nestled in the bottom corner, had Raya not got across to deny him in added time.
Liam Delap also bundled the ball into the net in the dying moments, but Pedro was offside in the build-up.
Chelsea: Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Sarr (Tosin 89), Hato (Gusto 75); Caicedo, Andrey Santos (Lavia 75); Palmer (Garnacho 85), Fernandez (Delap 85), Neto; Joao Pedro.
Subs not used: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Badiashile, Guiu.
