Mikel Merino came to Arsenal’s rescue as the Premier League leaders were held to a tense 1–1 draw by 10-man Chelsea in a heated London derby on Sunday.
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo was sent off late in the first half after a dangerous challenge on Merino, but the Blues still took the lead when Trevoh Chalobah headed home early in the second period. Merino later equalised, ensuring Arsenal avoided defeat in a bruising encounter at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal stay five points clear of Manchester City and six ahead of Chelsea, but they will feel they missed a chance to stretch their advantage in the title race. Chelsea, on the other hand, will be grateful to escape with a point despite playing most of the match a man down.
The match, played with relentless energy, showed Chelsea may still pose the biggest threat to Arsenal’s title ambitions. Arsenal are now unbeaten in 17 matches across all competitions, while Chelsea remain undefeated in their last seven.
Both clubs came into the derby on a high after European wins — Chelsea beating Barcelona 3–0 and Arsenal beating Bayern Munich 3–1 — but the early momentum faded as tempers flared. A flurry of heavy tackles saw several players booked as both teams fought for control.
Chelsea teenager Estevao Willian, fresh from his Champions League heroics, started brightly but missed a big chance, while Enzo Fernandez forced a smart save from David Raya.
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The match turned nasty in the 38th minute when Caicedo’s ankle-high foul on Merino was upgraded to a straight red after VAR review — Chelsea’s sixth dismissal of the season. Minutes later, an elbow from Hincapie on Chalobah sparked further controversy but went unpunished.
Chalobah put Chelsea ahead in the 48th minute with a well-timed header from a corner, but Arsenal hit back just over 10 minutes later. Bukayo Saka danced past Marc Cucurella and delivered a perfect cross for Merino, who powered home his fourth goal of the season.
Arsenal pushed hard for a winner, with Robert Sanchez producing brilliant saves to deny both Saka and Merino, but Chelsea held firm to secure a hard-earned point in a derby that lived up to its intensity and drama.
