Match ends, Chelsea 2, Arsenal 2.
ChelseaChelsea2ArsenalArsenal2
Arsenal showed the "togetherness and leadership" that Mikel Arteta is demanding as they overcame David Luiz's red card to twice fight back and share the spoils in an eventful London derby.
Luiz was sent off against his former club for shoving Tammy Abraham in the penalty area as the Chelsea striker looked set to score following a terrible backpass by Shkodran Mustafi when the game was goalless.
Jorginho scored from the resulting spot-kick before 18-year-old Gabriel Martinelli scored a brilliant equaliser after a slip by N'Golo Kante only for Cesar Azpilicueta to restore Chelsea's lead late on.
Yet 10-man Arsenal capped a spirited display when Hector Bellerin marked his return from injury with a dramatic equaliser from the edge of the penalty area.
"To do that against this kind of opponent in this stadium, I really value," Gunners boss Arteta told BBC Sport. "The way they have done it, with the spirit they have done it, that's great.
"I wasn't here a few weeks ago but what I am demanding every day they are trying their best to do it. The togetherness and leadership they showed today, this is what I wanted to see.
"We are going in the right direction but I think tonight is a special night for everybody."
- Abraham injured in draw against Arsenal
- Arteta 'not expecting' big transfers
- Reaction from Tuesday's Premier League games
Resolute Gunners show fight
Arsenal remain 10 points off a Champions League spot and, despite this battling performance, they have won just one of their last eight Premier League games. They also face the prospect of finishing outside the top six for the first time since 1994-95.
In addition, Arteta remains without an away win since taking charge in December yet he witnessed a gutsy response from his side, who played better with 10 men than they did with 11.
Luiz, who has given away three penalties in the Premier League this season - more than any other player - was left with little choice after Mustafi's under-hit pass let in Abraham.
Mustafi made up for his error with a clearance from a Chelsea corner which allowed Martinelli to burst forward and, after Kante's slip in the centre circle, produce a sublime finish under Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Chelsea looked like they had secured a first top-flight double over their London neighbours in four years when Azpilicueta restored their lead in the closing minutes but Arteta's side were not done.
Having dropped 13 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, they showed a determination that has been missing and, with just their second shot of the game, Bellerin rifled in an equaliser to seal a fourth successive away league draw.
"We showed big character," Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, who moved to defence after Luiz's red card, said.
"A lot of people say we have no character in the team. We showed in this game we have."
Wasteful Chelsea pay the price
This result will feel like a defeat for Frank Lampard and his Chelsea players.
Even before Luiz's dismissal and Jorginho's goal from the spot, the Blues dominated and should have been ahead after a hesitant start by the Gunners.
Having lost to a 93rd-minute goal at Newcastle on Saturday, Chelsea came flying out of the blocks.
Andreas Christensen headed wide from a corner when the Denmark defender should have done better while Abraham was six yards out when he nodded another early chance straight at Leno.
Callum Hudson-Odoi hit the top of the bar with a looping cross before Chelsea - who forced 17 corners and peppered Arsenal's goal with 19 shots - eventually took the lead.
Yet Chelsea have managed just three clean sheets in the last 15 league and cup games and their failure to take their chances came back to haunt them.
On a disappointing night for the hosts, Abraham had to be helped off the pitch at full-time after colliding with an advertising board in the closing moments of the game.
Man of the match - Hector Bellerin (Arsenal)
Red mist - the stats
- Arsenal have been shown more Premier League red cards against Chelsea than they have against any other side in the competition (8).
- The Gunners have scored four Premier League goals from outside the box against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge - three of these have been netted by full-backs (Nigel Winterburn in 1997, Sylvinho in 2000 and Hector Bellerin in this match).
- Bellerin's goal for Arsenal was his first in the Premier League in 737 days, since netting at Bournemouth in January 2018.
- Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta has scored four goals in 29 appearances in all competitions this season - his best return in a single season for the Blues. Indeed, he'd scored just four goals in 109 appearances across the last two campaigns combined.
What's next?
Both teams are in FA Cup fourth-round action next with Chelsea travelling to Championship Hull City on Saturday (17:30 GMT), while Arsenal are at Bournemouth on Monday (20:00).
Line-ups
Chelsea
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 28Azpilicueta
- 4ChristensenBooked at 59mins
- 2Rüdiger
- 33EmersonBooked at 21mins
- 7KantéSubstituted forMountat 69'minutes
- 5Jorginho
- 17KovacicSubstituted forBarkleyat 66'minutes
- 20Hudson-Odoi
- 9Abraham
- 10WillianSubstituted forBatshuayiat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Alonso
- 8Barkley
- 11Pedro
- 13Caballero
- 15Zouma
- 19Mount
- 23Batshuayi
Arsenal
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Leno
- 2BellerÃn
- 20Mustafi
- 23David LuizBooked at 26mins
- 77Saka
- 11Torreira
- 34Xhaka
- 19PépéSubstituted forHoldingat 81'minutes
- 10ÖzilSubstituted forGuendouziat 55'minutesBooked at 76mins
- 35MartinelliSubstituted forWillockat 90+1'minutes
- 9Lacazette
Substitutes
- 8Ceballos
- 15Maitland-Niles
- 16Holding
- 26E MartÃnez
- 28Willock
- 29Guendouzi
- 30Nketiah
- Referee:
- Stuart Attwell
- Attendance:
- 40,577
Match Stats
Home TeamChelseaAway TeamArsenal
- Possession
- Home59%
- Away41%
- Shots
- Home19
- Away2
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away2
- Corners
- Home17
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away6
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Chelsea 2, Arsenal 2.
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Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Matteo Guendouzi.
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Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Rob Holding.
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Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal).
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Joseph Willock replaces Gabriel Martinelli.
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Attempt missed. Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Goal!
Goal! Chelsea 2, Arsenal 2. Héctor BellerÃn (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Lucas Torreira.
Goal!
Goal! Chelsea 2, Arsenal 1. César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Callum Hudson-Odoi with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Rob Holding.
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Foul by Mason Mount (Chelsea).
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Matteo Guendouzi (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Offside, Chelsea. César Azpilicueta tries a through ball, but Michy Batshuayi is caught offside.
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Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Rob Holding.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Rob Holding replaces Nicolas Pépé.
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Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Bernd Leno.
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Attempt saved. Ross Barkley (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jorginho with a through ball.
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Attempt missed. Ross Barkley (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Michy Batshuayi replaces Willian.
Comments
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Cracking match for all but Chelsea supporters I would imagine.
Chelsea looked poor...
Chelsea have been throwing points away like confetti but this was the worst so far
Chelsea how are you guys in the top 4!!!
What a game!
Chelsea should have finished that off but the finishing was poor. Leno only had to make one difficult save despite all those shots.
Also a shoutout to the bargain of the summer, Martinelli, at only £8m.
Cheers
There were appearances for 7 English players this evening - well above any other nationality - with a couple more on the bench.
The English national team is doing well and some of our young players are getting experience abroad as well.
No sorry state of English football to be seen thank you very much.
(That's word on the street)
"Two largely foreign teams featuring average foreign players for the most part. Sad commentary on state of British football - boring and irrelevant. "
Absolute rubbish - for every english player there is a better foreigner, so why would two very wealthy teams restrict themselves to englishmen?