Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal: Neto strike cancels out Martinelli opener to claim draw

The spoils were shared on Sunday evening as Chelsea and Arsenal played out a lively 1-1 stalemate at Stamford Bridge.

It looked like the Blues had shot themselves in the foot when lax defending left Gabriel Martinelli free to fire the full-strength Gunners into the lead an hour into a big battle between the two London sides. Yet the tenacious Pedro Neto would make his mark with a wonderful sweeping strike from distance to make it honours even – a fair reflection of proceedings on balance.

It means both sides go into the top four of the Premier League table, although both will feel that a larger dent could have been made in the nine-point gap that has been established between them and leaders Liverpool.

Chelsea's talisman Cole Palmer had shaken off a knock to start and he set the tone early for what proved to be a fiery occasion, with a stinging drive from distance that required David Raya to be alive and every bit its equal to tip over.

The hosts had much of the early ascendancy, and even as the pendulum started to swing to the visitors it was the Blues who should have taken the lead. Some superb tireless work from Pedro Neto on the left flank saw him hook a cross that was on a dime for Malo Gusto to head home, only for it to sail over the crossbar from all of three yards.

The Pensioners largely had themselves to blame for any openings that Mikel Arteta’s men did fashion in the first half. Some sloppiness playing out from the back left Gabriel Martinelli unmarked at the back post just before the half hour mark, but Robert Sanchez stood up tall with a strong left arm to divert the ball to safety.

It looked like the Gunners had delivered a fatal wound five minutes later. Quick thinking from Declan Rice to immediately restart from a free kick sent former Blue Kai Havertz through to prod past Sanchez, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside after a VAR review. The German had shushed the home faithful during his celebration, but it was he who fell deathly quiet with egg on his face after the goal was scrubbed off.

Maresca’s men looked bright after the break, with Wesley Fofana going agonisingly close from a poke at goal even despite being firmly in the clutches of the bruiser William Saliba. Yet some unfortunately trademark sleepy defending, including Levi Colwill being out of step with the rest of the rearguard, gave Martinelli the freedom of Stamford Bridge to pick his spot at Sanchez’s near post and put Arsenal in the lead.

A lead, however, was short-lived. Chelsea turned to their bench to enact some tactical changes and it was one of those, Enzo Fernandez, who turned provider. The Argentinian laid it off to an advancing Pedro Neto who did the rest on the charge, sweeping home from 25 yards beyond the clutches of a helpless Raya.

Neither the men in red or blue could exact a killer blow on the other thereafter, with substitute Leonardo Trossard spurning two particularly gilt-edged chances. There was however a prevailing sense of shaking hands and accepting the score draw – a sensible approach as any in the November of a long campaign.

Chelsea head into the international break 3rd in the Premier League with a sizeable chasing pack breathing down their necks, not least Arsenal by virtue of goal difference. Upon their return it will be a return to Leicester for Blues’ boss Enzo Maresca, who will have no appetite to be offering his former Foxes any charitable scraps.