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Arsenal overcame David Luiz’s dismissal against his old club to twice come from behind against Chelsea in an eventful London derby.
The Gunners looked beaten when Jorginho fired Chelsea ahead from the penalty spot after Luiz was shown a straight red card for bundling over Tammy Abraham.
The Chelsea forward had pounced on a terrible backpass by Shkodran Mustafi and rounded keeper Bernd Leno when he was shoved over by Brazil defender Luiz.
Chelsea were dominant for long periods but failed to kill the game off.
They were punished when N’Golo Kante slipped inside the centre circle allowing 18-year-old Gabriel Martinelli to gallop free and produce a superb finish, the Brazilian becoming the first teenager to reach double figures in a single season for Arsenal since Nicolas Anelka in 1998-99.
It was Arsenal’s first shot of the game and came after a Chelsea corner which was cleared by Mustafi, the German atoning for his earlier error.
Chelsea thought they had won it when skipper Cesar Azpilicueta scored from six yards six minutes from time but spirited Arsenal earned a point through captain Hector Bellerin – making his first appearance since 5 December – from outside the penalty area.
Resolute Gunners show fight
Arsenal, who remain 10 points off a Champions League spot, have won just one of their last eight Premier League games and face the prospect of finishing outside the top six for the first time since 1994-95.
Mikel Arteta remains without an away win since taking charge in December yet his side played better with 10 men, and their gutsy second-half performance will have encouraged the Spaniard.
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 who looked certain to score after going around Leno.
Yet Mustafi made up for his error with the clearance which allowed Martinelli to burst forward, after Kante’s slip, and 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.
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 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 defensive problems resurfaced as they failed to win for the seventh time in the league at Stamford Bridge this season.
On a disappointing night for the hosts, Abraham had to be helped off the pitch at full-time after colliding with an advertising board.
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).
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