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Mikel Arteta's Arsenal put in a dogged display to steal a smash-and-grab 1-0 win against Thomas Tuchel's in-form Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Both managers made some bold calls ahead of the game, with Thomas Tuchel making seven changes from the side that beat Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, while Mikel Arteta made four. The Spaniard also deployed a back-three for the first time in the league since December.
The game got off to an entertaining start as Pablo Mari nearly cost his side a goal after losing the ball near the halfway line. The Spaniard was caught off guard by Kai Havertz but the German couldn't follow up his darting run with a finish.
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Arsenal eventually ended up breaking the deadlock minutes later after Jorginho's decision to pass the ball back to Kepa Arrizzabalaga proved to be a costly one.
The midfielder played an ill-advised back-pass to his Spanish teammate but his ball was some way off finding the keeper. Arrizzabalaga dived and astonishingly managed to keep the ball out of the goal but it fell nicely for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who set up Emile Smith Rowe to score from close range.
The goal sparked a period of sustained dominance from the hosts as they looked for an equaliser and kept the pressure up. Chelsea saw over 60% of the ball and spent large parts of the game in Arsenal's half and pinned them back.
However, their sustained pressure didn't amount to much as Chelsea managed to register just two shots on target up until the last few minutes. Christian Pulisic, Kai Havertz, and Mason Mount had opportunities that they could have capitalised on but couldn't make much of it.
Pulisic came closest to scoring on 60 minutes as he bundled the ball home after a Kai Havertz header from a corner fell to him, but the goal was chalked off for offside.
The dying minutes of regulation time yielded some incredible drama as Kurt Zouma drew a superb save out of Bernd Leno. Just seconds later, the rebound fell to Olivier Giroud, whose volley crashed onto the post once again, allowing Arsenal to keep their lead in tact.
In the end, Arteta's men managed to hang on to their lead and complete their first league double over Chelsea in 17 years. The win keeps Arsenal alive in the chase for European football and leaves Chelsea in need of two wins from two to secure their UEFA Champions League spot.
Here are five hits and flops from the game.
Flop: Kai Havertz | Chelsea
Chelsea's German star Kai Havertz was chosen ahead of Timo Werner to play through the middle of a three-man attack against Arsenal. While he has been in great form over the last few weeks, he was poor on the night against Arsenal, failing to cause any real damage to the Gunners' resolute defence.
Havertz spurned a golden opportunity barely ten minutes into the game after nicking the ball off Pablo Mari but he blazed the ball over the bar.
The 21-year-old ended his 65-minute stay on the pitch with fewer touches (29) than any of Chelsea's starters, and only two players (Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka) had lesser touches out of the 22 to start the game. Far from his best night.
Hit: Bernd Leno | Arsenal
Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno has had a rather underwhelming campaign so far and had a howler against Everton recently, costing his side three valuable points with a horrific error. However, against Chelsea, he was one of the Gunners' best players as he managed to keep them in the game during crucial moments which could have influenced the scoreline.
Leno ended the game with four saves from inside the box, with three of them coming towards the end of the second half. This included a superb last-ditch save from Kurt Zouma's looping header with just a couple of minutes left on the clock, albeit he was lucky with Giroud's subsequent effort hitting the target. The German commanded his box well and was pivotal in helping them keep a clean sheet.
Also read: 5 Players with most nutmegs in Europe this season (2020/21)
Flop: Callum Hudson-Odoi | Chelsea
After a rather dull first half from Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel tweaked his XI by sending on Callum Hudson-Odoi in place of Billy Gilmour to add a spark to his side. The decision did not work out in the slightest as the Englishman failed to add anything of note to their team.
With the exception of putting in a couple of useful crosses into the area, Hudson-Odoi lost the ball at a number of key moments. He wasn't direct enough, failed to combine well with either wing-back and was generally wasteful in the final third. Tuchel said before the game that Hudson-Odoi must live up to his full potential, and tonight's display is unlikely to please his manager.
Hit: Emile Smith Rowe | Arsenal
Emile Smith Rowe has been one of the brightest sparks in what has generally been a bleak campaign for the Gunners. The young English star put in a spirited and mature performance on the night against Chelsea and scored his second goal in two league games with a scuffed finish after Aubameyang set him up.
Even apart from his goal, Smith Rowe made judicious use of the little time he got on the ball and worked his socks off on the defensive front as well.
He was a reliable outlet when Arsenal had the ball with his excellent close control and dribblin ability, bailing his side out on a number of occasions amidst Chelsea's unrelenting pressure. Solid outing for the promising youngster.
Flop: Jorginho | Chelsea
It was a game in which the Gunners failed to create any memorable goalscoring opportunities, and their only goal came from an absolute howler committed by Jorginho. The Italian sold his keeper short by playing a poor ball to him and his decision ultimately came to haunt him as the subsequent goal turned out to be the winner.
Apart from his error, he wasn't his usual efficient self with the ball, losing it in key areas and failing to cut open a stubborn Arsenal unit. It was far from a classic display from the in-form midfielder, who has grown into one of Tuchel's most trusted men in the middle of the park.
Also read: 5 Best Premier League players outside the traditional top 6 clubs
