Chelsea earn hard fought draw with ten men after Caicedo’s var red as Arsenal miss key chances
Arsenal left Stamford Bridge with a point but also with a sense of missed opportunity after being held to a fierce and tempestuous draw by a Chelsea side reduced to ten men before half time. Mikel Arteta’s team would likely have accepted a draw before kick off, especially after learning that William Saliba had injured himself in training on Saturday. But the shape of the match changed entirely when Moises Caicedo was sent off in the thirty eighth minute for a reckless and dangerous tackle on Mikel Merino. The challenge drew gasps on every replay, and Merino was fortunate to avoid injury.
The dismissal marked Chelsea’s sixth red card of the season across all competitions, not counting the one issued to manager Enzo Maresca earlier in the campaign. With a numerical advantage, Arsenal had to believe all three points were within reach, a result that would have restored their seven point lead at the top of the table. Instead, they struggled to impose themselves and were shaken when Chelsea struck first early in the second half.
Chelsea had been ferocious from the opening whistle, full of intensity and aggression. That may well have contributed to Caicedo’s rash moment, but it also set the tone for their resilience with ten men. As soon as the second half began, Reece James delivered a superb corner which Trevoh Chalobah met with a looping header that sent Stamford Bridge into raptures. James was exceptional throughout, dictating tempo and providing a driving presence that lifted those around him.
Arsenal needed a response and eventually found one through Merino. The midfielder forced his way into position at the far post to meet Bukayo Saka’s cross, directing a determined header beyond Robert Sanchez. Merino almost went on to win it, firing low late in normal time, only for Sanchez to save and then bravely block Viktor Gyokeres on the rebound. Arsenal pressed harder after the equaliser but struggled to produce the cutting edge required to take all three points.
The match had been fuelled by physical confrontations from the start. Marc Cucurella went in hard on Saka, Caicedo barged Jurriën Timber, and challenges flew with little restraint. Bookings followed in steady succession. With Saliba and Gabriel unavailable, Arteta fielded Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie in central defence, and both received yellow cards by half time. Riccardo Calafiori also went into the book. Arteta later claimed Chelsea targeted his booked players to even the numbers. Maresca, meanwhile, argued that Hincapie should have been sent off for catching Chalobah with an elbow.
Referee Anthony Taylor had his authority tested constantly. Both sets of supporters made their dissatisfaction clear, often loudly, and not always politely. Yet Taylor had no real option when the video assistant referee, John Brooks, instructed him to review Caicedo’s tackle. The height, force and danger made the decision straightforward.
Chelsea created several promising moments even before the red card. Estavao Willian missed a golden chance from eight yards after a clearance from Mosquera dropped kindly to him. Pedro Neto caused problems with his direct running, and Declan Rice had to intervene smartly inside the area to prevent further danger.
After the break Chelsea continued to push despite their disadvantage. James forced David Raya into a save from a free kick, and the resulting corner produced Chalobah’s goal. Maresca chose not to retreat into a defensive shell. He kept two wingers and a striker on the pitch and relied on James to cover ground almost single handedly in midfield.
Arsenal grew stronger after Merino’s equaliser and dominated territory late on, helped by the introductions of Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Gyokeres. But Chelsea held firm. When the final whistle sounded, the home side felt they had earned their point and perhaps deserved more. Arsenal, far from their best, could have won it but could not complain about the outcome of a gripping derby filled with intensity, emotion and controversy.