Arsenal lost more ground in the Premier League title race following a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at the Stamford Bridge yesterday.
The result leaves the London sides nine points adrift of leaders Liverpool.
Gabriel Martinelli put the visitors in front in the 60th minute, turning in a neatly lifted ball from captain Martin Odegaard, whose influence on his return from injury proved crucial after the Gunners’ failure to score in their last two games.
Chelsea equalised 10 minutes later when substitute Enzo Fernandez pushed the ball to the ever-lively Pedro Neto just outside the Arsenal area and the Portuguese stepped to one side and shot low to David Raya’s left.
The result lifted Chelsea to third and Arsenal to fourth in the table, both on 19 points.
The first half threatened to burst into life at times, with both sides creating chances, but a lack of quality in front of goal kept the score goalless at the interval. Kai Havertz thought he’d gotten one over on his former club when he scored from a quick free-kick, but the German had strayed just offside.
At the other end, Cole Palmer’s early long-range effort was tipped over by David Raya.
Gabriel Martinelli had endured a difficult first 45 minutes, squandering a great chance to put the visitors ahead when put through on goal. But with question marks remaining over his end product, the Brazilian winger responded to the critics by making it 1-0 when Odegaard capitalised on some slack Chelsea defending to find Martinelli in space, and he did the rest to finish at the near post.
The Blues had done little else to trouble Raya, and it looked like something special would be required for them to get back into the contest. Step up Pedro Neto, who fired a rasping effort from distance into the bottom corner in the 70th minute.
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