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London was split into two when Arsenal and Chelsea renewed their local rivalry at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night (20 April).
The Premier League spectacle promised plenty and the two teams made it a point to deliver. The Blues, who were the favorites to snag all three points, were handed a reality check as Arsenal came out with a well-deserved 4-2 win.
Eddie Nketiah was the hero of the match for the Gunners, with the forward scoring a decisive brace. Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka scored the other two goals for the north London outfit to cap off a sensational performance.
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Chelsea put pressure on the visitors after only four minutes of play, courtesy of Reece James’ free-kick and Marcos Alonso’s attempt from a corner. However, against the run of play, it was Mikel Arteta’s side that pulled ahead. Nketiah capitalized on Andreas Christensen’s defensive howler and rippled the netting behind Edouard Mendy in the 13th minute.
Timo Werner restored parity for the Blues four minutes later only for Arsenal to pull ahead once again. Emile Smith Rowe scored a belter to restore the visitors’ lead in the 27th minute.
Five minutes later, Cesar Azpilicueta scored the hosts' second equalizer, converting from a clever Mason Mount cutback. Arsenal had a couple more chances to pull ahead in the pulsating first-half, but failed to take them.
Twelve minutes into the second half, the west London outfit’s susceptible defending allowed Nketiah to put Arsenal in front once again. Only this time, the home side could not find a way to come up with a reply.
Chelsea’s hopes of mounting a late comeback took a massive hit in the 90th minute when Azpilicueta fouled Saka inside the box. The referee rightfully pointed to the spot and the Englishman dispatched a confident penalty to seal a crucial win for the visiting side.
Following the victory, fifth-placed Arsenal are now level on points with Tottenham Hotspur, who are fourth, owing to having a better goal difference. Chelsea, meanwhile, remained in third spot.
Here are three Blues players who disappointed and two who held their end of the bargain in Wednesday night's 4-2 defeat at the Bridge:
Underperformed: Malang Sarr
With Antonio Rudiger out with a groin injury, Malang Sarr started on the left-side of the Blues’ three-man defense.
Not only did the Frenchman struggle to cope with the pace with Bukayo Saka, but his clumsiness also played a part in Nketiah’s second goal in the 57th minute.
Following Thiago Silva’s well-timed tackle on Nketiah, the ball fell to Sarr. The 23-year-old failed to react quickly enough and gave it back to Nketiah, who somehow pushed his effort over the goal line.
Against Arsenal, the Chelsea centre-back lost nine duels, ceded possession 22 times, and committed three fouls, one of which earned him a booking.
It was certainly not one his better displays in a Chelsea shirt.
Performed: Timo Werner
Former RB Leipzig frontman Timo Werner seems to have gotten his second wind over the last few weeks. Buoyed by the confidence Thomas Tuchel has shown in him, the German international has emerged as one of the Blues’ best players on current form.
Werner was a tireless pressing machine against the north London outfit on Wednesday, relentlessly chasing down every avenue, especially in the first half.
His efforts bore fruit in the 17th minute when he tore through the Arsenal backline from the left and dispatched a speculative effort. The ball took a deflection off Ben White and slowly bundled into the back of the net.
The German forward attempted two more shots on Wednesday night, but both veered off target.
He also registered a key pass, won two ground duels, and made 31 passes, capping off an overall satisfactory performance.
Underperformed: Romelu Lukaku
Instead of starting Kai Havertz, as he has done in recent weeks, Thomas Tuchel opted to field Romelu Lukaku alongside Timo Werner in Chelsea’s attack. Playing against the Blues’ local rivals, the underperforming Belgian had the perfect opportunity to turn the fans' jeers into applause.
Unfortunately, he once again cut a frustrating figure in front of goal, failing to lodge even a single shot on target. The former Inter Milan striker made only 12 accurate passes and lost possession a good four times.
His hold-up play was good and he also made a key pass, but he failed to give the Blues the penetration they needed.
Following a disappointing 60-minute outing, he came off the field to boos and jeers, with Havertz replacing him.
Performed: Mason Mount
Chelsea’s golden boy Mason Mount extended his purple patch with another energetic performance on Wednesday night.
He was quick, creative, and most importantly, he never stopped trying to get his side back into the game.
Mount, who came into the match on the back of four goals in his last four games, couldn’t get a shot on target against Arsenal. But his creativity and efficiency were for everyone to see.
He played three key passes, put in three crosses, and superbly assisted Azpilicueta’s first-half equalizer. From the left wing, the Englishman calculated his captain’s run and put an inch-perfect ball in at the near post. The Spaniard made no mistake in slotting it home to make it 2-2.
Underperformed: Andreas Christensen
Barcelona-bound centre-back Andreas Christensen (as per Fabrizio Romano) produced a horrendous performance for his current employers at Stamford Bridge.
He was indecisive on the ball, clueless off it, and practically gifted Arsenal their first goal of the game.
His inexplicably under-hit pass to Edouard Mendy was easily intercepted by Nketiah, who then held off Sarr to open the scoring for the Gunners. The costly mistake put a dent in his confidence, instigating Tuchel to bring on Thiago Silva in his place at half-time.
Against the Gunners, the Danish defender only had one clearance, lost possession seven times, and misplaced all four of his attempted long balls.
A worrying performance from the would-be Barcelona player.
Also Read: Ranking Arsenal's 5 best players against Chelsea | Premier League 2021-22
