Ten-Man Arsenal Fight Back To Hold Chelsea In Four-Goal Thriller
22nd January 2020
A point extends Chelsea's lead over Manchester United in fifth to six points, but the Red Devils can cut that gap to three with victory over Burnley on Wednesday
- Ten-man Arsenal twice came from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw at Chelsea despite a nightmare return to Stamford Bridge for David Luiz
- The Brazilian was sent-off after just 26 minutes for hauling down Tammy Abraham and Jorginho converted the resulting penalty
- Frank Lampard's men have now won just four of their last 12 league games, including home defeats to West Ham, Bournemouth and Southampton
LONDON, United Kingdom- Ten-man Arsenal twice came from behind to
salvage a 2-2 draw at Chelsea despite a nightmare return to Stamford Bridge for
David Luiz.
The Brazilian was sent-off after
just 26 minutes for hauling down Tammy Abraham and Jorginho converted the
resulting penalty.
However, Chelsea's struggles at
the Bridge continued and they offered another lifeline to those challenging for
a top-four finish, with Gabriel Martinelli allowed to run almost the length of
the field to equalise midway through the second half.
Cesar Azpilicueta had appeared to
end Arsenal's resistence six minutes from time, but Hector Bellerin levelled
once more in a thrilling finale.
A point extends Chelsea's lead
over Manchester United in fifth to six points, but the Red Devils can cut that
gap to three with victory over Burnley on Wednesday.
Arsenal remain in 10th, 10 points
behind their hosts, and despite admitting before the match that his side had to
win to maintain any hope of securing a return to the Champions League, Mikel
Arteta will be proud of the spirit showed by the visitors.
Frank Lampard's men have now won
just four of their last 12 league games, including home defeats to West Ham,
Bournemouth and Southampton, and they were again guilty of a lack of creativity
at one end and defensive lapses at the other.
Chelsea started brightly and only
a brave block from Shkodran Mustafi denied Mateo Kovacic as he fired goalwards
after a fine team move instigated by Callum Hudson-Odoi and Azpilicueta.
Lampard spoke of his desire for
Chelsea to be more clinical after losing 1-0 at Newcastle on Saturday with
Paris Saint-Germain's all-time top goalscorer Edison Cavani a target.
- Wasteful Chelsea -
Abraham's place could be under
threat should the Uruguayan arrive in west London and he should have done
better when he headed straight at Bernd Leno with just the German goalkeeper to
beat.
However, the England international
had a big role to play when he pounced on a gift from Mustafi to race clear on
goal and round Leno.
Luiz got back in time to make a
challenge, but barged Abraham to the ground and in the opinion of the referee
did not make an attempt to play the ball.
Jorginho produced a
characteristically cool finish from the penalty spot and Chelsea should have
been on course for a comfortable three points.
Leno made an important stop from
Hudson-Odoi's drive moments later, but the home side failed to make the extra
man count and allowed Arsenal to grow in confidence.
The Gunners still had not had a
single attempt on goal until Martinelli showed impressive pace and poise to
level just after the hour mark.
From a Chelsea corner the
Brazilian ran from the edge of his own box unopposed, thanks to N'Golo Kante
slipping, before slotting home the 10th goal of an impressive debut season in
England.
Alexandre Lacazette then had the
ball in the Chelsea net for a second time, but was rightly flagged offside.
Chelsea were lacking the guile to
unlock the 10 men in their search for a winner, but seemed to have found a way
thanks to a quickly taken corner when Azpilicueta swept home Hudson-Odoi's
cross.
However, Arsenal were not to be
denied as captain for the night Bellerin produced a magnificent finish on his
weaker left foot from outside the area three minutes later to secure a 12th
draw in 24 Premier League games for the Gunners.